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Des Moines Information

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 677

POPULATION.

The first official census of Des Moines was taken July 1, 1846. There were present thirty-one families and one hundred and twenty-seven persons. The following will show the rapid increase since that date:

The United States census which has just been taken shows that the city has advanced from the fifth in rank to first position since 1870; to-day exceeding in population, Dubuque 420, Davenport 800, Burlington 3,500, Keokuk 10,000. A marvelous change. Thirty-four years ago the locality was without a name and unknown on the map. To the hunter and the struggling emigrant and the pioneers it was called Raccoon Forks. So it was known in the government treaties with the Indians. Young men now just entering active business life were born here since the first organization of the town.

CHURCHES.
The church, school and newspaper started hand in hand with the beginning of the settlement of the town, and they have kept pace with the progress of the community, molding and establishing its character as one of the most enlightened, refined, and cultivated in the State.
As is usual in all new settlements in the West, the Methodist circuit rider first made his appearance. No records of the Methodist Church are in existence, and the compiler has been compelled to seek information from the first settlers.
The first sermon preached in Des Moines was in the fall of 1845, by Ezra Rathbun, on the funeral occasion of a child, a little daughter of Col. Grier, commandant of the Fort. This child was the first child born within the limits of the town, and its death was the first within the town. Its birth was in February, 1845. Mr. Rathbun deceased the present year.
In the fall of 1845 Rev. Russell, a missionary preacher, whose circuit embraced nearly the same territory as now constitutes the. Des Moines district, organized a Methodist class, consisting of Joseph Solenbarger, Sarah Solenbarger. Rev. Abner Rathbun, Betsy Rathbun, Rev. Ezra Rathbun, Jonathan Rathbun, W. H. Meacham and wife, Benjamin T. Hoxie. Mr. Solenbarger was elected class-leader. It is related of Mr. Russell that his outfit consisted of a pair of saddle-bags, one half of which would be filled with corn bread and bacon, the other with a clean, coarse shirt, and a well thumbed Bible. This class met at the house of members and in the courthouse, until 1848. January 5, 1848, the County Commissioners donated lot 3, block 21, on Fifth street, to the Methodist Church, on the terms as set forth, ante, page 505. A frame building was erected in 1848, which, in 1856, became too small to accommodate the growing body, and a new

678 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

structure was commenced, which has since been enlarged, but that, also, has become outgrown, and the present year the society , is erecting a magnificent structure on Pleasant street.
In 1855 Rev. E. M. H. Fleming began preaching on the East Side, in the Lyon school-house, and it is stated Mrs. A. Y. Hull was the only Methodist in the city on that side of the river. The first Saturday and Sunday in December of that year a class was formed of Thomas, Maria and Aquilla Hoffman. Mrs. A. Y: Hull, Jacob and Lavina Butts, G. C. and Mary J. Jeffries, Sarah N. Lyon, Samuel Kelley, B. Christman, Allen and Martha Spitzer. The building was known as Wesley Chapel; was begun and finished in 1857, and dedicated by Mr. Fleming. A parsonage was added in 1866. The Sunday-school dates from the dedication of the church. In 1863 an addition was made across the north end of. the building, which gives it a cruciform shape. Until 1864 this society belonged to the Iowa conference, but in that year, at the general conference in Philadelphia, the boundaries of that conference were changed, and the society became a part of the Des Moines Conference. Asbury Chapel swarmed out from Wesley Chapel in 1869, and is located in the extreme eastern part of the city. Its first preacher was J. W. Matheny.
In 1856 was organized the German Methodist Church on the East Side. Its house of worship is on East Locust, between First and Second.
In November, 1874, was organized the Swedish Methodist Church, by Rev. J. Sinn.
In 1868 the Fifth Street Methodist Church became overcrowded, and another society was organized, known as the Centenary. A building was erected on West Seventh street, near Center, together with a parsonage. The church was dedicated in 1868, with Rev. J. M. Bly as preacher.
In 1874 a Mission church was erected on East Fifth street, south of the railroads, to accommodate those not inclined to attend more fashionable churches. It is a small frame building, and was dedicated in the spring of 1874, by Rev. J. A. Stayt, of the Methodist Church, Rev. Dr. M. S. P. Hill, of the Presbyterian, Rev. Dr. J. R. Murphey, of the Baptist, and other clergymen of the city. It is under the care of the East Side Methodist churches.
In 1865 the colored people of the city, with the aid of citizens, generally, erected a brick church; on the 8th of May, 1866, a society was organized, and the church was dedicated as Burns Chapel. Rev. T. S. Wells was the first preacher, whose leading idiosyncrasy seemed to be a pertinacious propensity for prevarication. The church is under the control of the Des Moines Conference.
In 1856 the Germans organized a Methodist Church and erected a building on West Locust street, between Second and Third.
In 1856 a Methodist Protestant Church was organized with sixteen members, with Rev. Rhemsburg as preacher. We have been unable to gather any definite knowledge of its early history.
In, 1872 the African Methodist Church was organized, and a church dedicated on West Sycamore street, between Seventh and Eighth, with Rev. George Benson as the first pastor.
Rev. Thompson Bird, came to Des Moines in October, 1847, when it was known only as Raccoon Forks, as a missionary preacher, and his field was co-extensive with the State from its southern boundary as far north and east as Cedar Rapids. He was an earnest, self-sacrificing worker in the

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 679

cause of his Master, and probably organized more churches than any man who has lived in the State. He went forth "without money or scrip," often weary and hungry. But he always met a hearty welcome from the pioneers wherever he went, and a generous share of their hospitality. While engaged in his work abroad he also laid the foundation for a church organization at the Fort, and in June, 1848, it took shape, consisting of six women and one man. Meetings were held during the warm season in one of the barrack buildings, but on the approach of the inclement season they were held at private houses. When the court-house was ready for use, the church held its meetings there. During this time Mr. Bird was gathering the means and materials for a church home of their own. A lot was purchased on West Fourth adjoining that on the south where Mills & Co.'s building now stands. A building committee of R. W. Sypher, Barlow Granger, J. E. Jewett, J. D. Davis, and Mr. Bird was appointed, but the burden of the labor fell upon the pastor. For six years he toiled gathering a little here and there. There was very little money, and the people were poor. His own salary was a mere pittance, but of that he freely, gave, while his estimable wife gave her aid to his good works by teaching school. After six years of labor the building was but half completed, but in June, 1855 it was finished so it could be occupied and it was dedicated in that month. A bell was needed, but the means to procure it were not easily obtained. Mr. Bird, resorted to a clever device. He had been an enthusiastic collector of autographs of prominent men of the country. These he offered to sell to Rev. Dr. Sprague of Albany, N. Y., if he would provide a bell for the church. The proffer was accepted; the bell came, and the autograph letters passed to Dr. Sprague. The bell proved one of the sweetest in tone that has rung a peal in the city. On the night of Nov. 1, 1867, the church was burned and the bell was reduced to molten metal. For twenty years Father Bird, as he was reverently called by everybody who knew him, was the beloved pastor of this church, until a stroke of paralysis prevented his further labor (gradually his physical powers gave way, and as the parting rays of the setting sun faded into the lovely twilight, on the 4th of January, 1866, he passed to his eternal rest. By judicious early investments of small savings in real estate within the city, he left his wife and three children considerable wealth.
Prior to this event the society had outgrown the capacity of the old edifice and a lot had been selected on the corner of Eighth and High, which is now known as the Central Presbyterian Church, the corner-stone of which was laid with imposing ceremony, Sept. 4th, 1867. Although the oldest in fact, Mr. Bird's church was the second in organization. Its faith was the so-called New School Presbyterian.
The First Presbyterian Church was organized in June, 1848, as the Presbyterian Church of Fort Des Moines, by Rev. Samuel Cowles. The first meeting was held in a log building on the East Side, owned by John Dean, and formerly occupied as a trader's cabin. There were thirteen persons resent. Mr. Cowes was succeeded by Rev. G. W. Swan, in 1851; Rev. J. M. Lippencott, in 1853. Nov. 28,1854, the society became an incorporated body under the laws of the State, with W. H. Leas, Moses Sheetz and Abraliam Dean as trustees, when the preliminary steps were taken to erect a house of worship. A lot was purchased on West Locust street, between Seventh and Eighth. In 1856 Rev. R. T. Drake was installed as the first settled pastor of the church, Oct. 6, and in that year the church build-

680 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

ing was completed and dedicated. Mr. Drake resigned. and the church was without a settled pastor until June, 1865, when Rev. D. L. Hughes was installed, but owing to impaired health he was compelled to resign the following year. In 1874 the disjunctive distinction, which separated the two schools of the church, having become obliterated, the two societies in the city were united, and the building on Locust street was sold to the Christian Church in 1875.
January 30, 1864, the Third Presbyterian Church was organized with twenty members and Rev. J. M. Phillips pastor. Its church edifice is on West Sycamore near Eighth.
October 15, 1858, was organized the United Presbyterian Church on the East Side, with Rev. J. H. Young pastor. Soon after a church edifice was erected on East Second street between Walnut and Court Avenue.
Among the early settlers was a small band of Baptists, who, on the nineteenth of Nov., met at the residence of J. M. Reichenecker, to devise ways and means to perfect a church organization. A committee, composed of Wm. McKay, G. Berkley and Mr. Reichenecker, was appointed to secure a pastor. While the negotiations were pending, Rev. John A. Nash came to Iowa on mission work, and reached Des Moines January 3, 1857. He was warmly greeted by the few Baptist people here, at a small wooden building which stood where Reed's leather store now stands on Walnut street. On the following Sabbath evening Mr. Nash preached his first sermon on the special invitation of Father Bird.
February 18, 1851, a meeting was held at the court-house and the First Baptist Church was organized as follows: J. A. Nash, Christiana Nash, J. M. and Harriet Reichenecker, John Hays, Wm. McKay, Henry and Huldah Everley, Arozina Perkins, Margaret Luse, Mary Marvin, Sarah Saylor, Granville Berkley, Thomas Roberts and Charles McKay. Mr. Nash was elected pastor at a salary of four hundred and fifty dollars, of which the church paid fifty dollars. Efforts were at once made to secure a meetinghouse. The County Commissioners donated a lot, as has already been stated on page 506, but beset by the same difficulties which did Father Bird, the building was not erected, in accordance with the terms of. the donation. To prevent its reversion to the county Judge McKay paid for the lot which was subsequently exchanged for one on Mulberry street opposite the court-house, which is now used as a blacksmith shop. For six years Mr. Nash toiled to complete the meeting-house. He hauled material and worked with his hands, and after severe struggles and many disappointments it was completed and dedicated March 16, 1856. In 1866 the membership had increased beyond the capacity of the meeting-house, and plans were perfected for the erection of the present house, on the corner of West Locust and Eighth. Mr. Nash resigned his pastorate in 1865.
In 1871, from the First Church went out the members residing on the East side, organized a Church and erected a meeting-house in 1875, at the corner of Des Moines street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Rev. Granger Smith was the first pastor.
In 1855 was organized St. Paul's Episcopal Church, with Rev. Dr. E. W. Peet as rector, who was also a missionary of the Episcopal Association for the West. Meetings were held whenever a place could be found, until in the fall of 1856. A lot was donated by Mr. E. Hall, on West Seventh, between Walnut and Locust streets, and a chapel erected in 1856. The first vestry was composed of Hoyt Sherman, Byron Rice, D. O. Finch, Mad-

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 681

ison Young, Samuel Case, Wm. F. Avers, John D. McCall and J. W. Morris.
In 1855 Thomas G. Given conveyed to Bishop Matthias Loras, of Dubuque, two lots on West Sixth street between Walnut and Locust streets, on which it was intended to build a church. In 1856 a small frame building was erected, Rev. G. A. Plathe being stationed here in charge. In 1858 additions were made to it to meet the increase of the congregation. In 1860 Mr. Plathe died and was succeeded by Rev. John F. Brazil. On the last day of March, 1863, was begun the present church edifice, which was completed in the fall of 1864, and dedicated as St. Ambrose church. From the small number of four communicants in 1858 they have increased to over two thousand.
In 1871 was laid the corner stone of St. Mary's Catholic Church on West Third street, between Center and Crocker, with very imposing ceremonies. Its communicants are principally Germans. Rev. N. Sassel has been its pastor from its organization.
December 6,1857, Plymouth Congregational Church was organized with Rev. Joseph T. Cook as pastor, and was incorporated July 11, 1859. Its first place of worship was erected on Court Avenue, and subsequently removed to West Locust street, near Sixth. Various additions to it were made until 1876, when the present magnificent edifice was erected on the. corner of Locust and Seventh, and the old building was demolished.
In 1856 the nucleus of what subsequently became the English-Lutheran Church, was formed. Meetings were held in the old Third Ward schoolhouse, corner of West Locust and Ninth streets. It was not until May, 1865, a permanent organization was perfected by Rev. Morris Officer, Superintendent of Home Missions. In November, of that year, Rev. A. M. Geiger was called as pastor, and the church was established with twenty two members. In 1867, a church edifice was erected on the corner of West Sycamore and Seventh streets, which was dedicated January 3, 1869.
In 1858 Rev. John List emigrated to Des Moines, and finding here a sufficient German population to organize a church, went back to get permission of the church authorities for that purpose, and returned in 1859. He found, however, that many of his people were members of secret societies, which positively precluded them from a membership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, so that his congregation when organized, November 16, 1859, consisted of only four wives with their children, four widows and eight single persons. Meetings were held in a building on Walnut street, opposite Ensign's livery stable, but soon after a church was erected on West Locust, between First and Second streets. The church is also used as a school for the children.
In 1870 a Swedish Lutheran Mission was established on the East Side. The same year a church was organized and a house of worship erected, corner of East Second and Des Moines streets, with Rev. John Peterson pastor.
In 1871 the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized on the East Side, with Rev. John Telleen pastor, and a church edifice erected, corner of East Sycamore and First streets. During the present year the meeting of the Synod of North America of this denomination was held within this church.
In 1856 the first Christian Church was organized by Elder N. Summer.

682 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

bell. Its meetings were held in the old Third Ward school-house, corner of West Ninth and Locust streets, for some time until a small building was erected for their use, on West Sycamore, between Seventh and Eighth streets.
September 23, 1860, was organized the Church of Christ, with twenty, members. Elder P. T. Russell had previously preached to these people, but the church was organized with B. F. Snook as pastor. Its meetings were held in the old brick building now standing near the east end of the Keokuk & Des Moines railroad bridge. Subsequently a chapel was built on the site of the first court-house, on Cherry street, which was sold in 1875, and the First Presbyterian Church edifice purchased on West Locust.
In 1869 was organized the United Brethren Church, and a place of worship erected on Maple, between Tenth and Eleventh, East Side.
In 1868 the first Universalist Church was organized, with Rev. W. W. King pastor. Its first meetings were held in Moore's Opera House, until a church edifice was erected on the corner of West Sixth and Cherry streets. This building was removed to Ninth street in 1879, and is occupied by the Temperance Reform Club.
In 1868 was organized a Society of Friends, which is now in existence, comparatively weak.
In September, 1873, was organized the first Hebrew Church, under the name of Be Nai Ya Shuron, with L. Samish as rabbi. Their synagogue is on Mulberry street, West Side.
In May, 1876, a Hebrew Synagogue was organized on the East Side, known as The Children of Israelites, with David Cohen as rabbi.
In 1878 the first Unitarian Church was organized, with J. R. Effinger as pastor. Its meetings were held in Union Block, West Locust street, between Fifth and Sixth.

SCHOOLS.

The proud position occupied to-day by the city of Des Moines in intelligence, refinement and good order, is directly traceable to the foundation laid by the pioneer settlers. The common school, the Sunday-school and church followed the retreat of the Indians. The soldiers' barrack buildings were used for these purposes. For two years the schools were maintained by private enterprise of the citizens. The county records show that a Miss Davis taught school in the town during the summer of 1846, in room No. 26, which was the number of the barrack building she occupied, the buildings having been numbered to facilitate their sale, as ordered by the Commissioners. This was, doubtless the first school taught in the township. The following winter a school was taught by Lewis Whitten, who was also the county agent for the sale of town lots. In the summer of 1847 a school was taught by R. L. Tidrick, who is still a resident of the city. He was succeeded by Mr. Davis, who taught during the winter. The following summer A. J. Stevens, subsequently a wealthy banker, taught for three months.
The first school district was organized in 1849. The following is the record entry of the first meeting for that purpose:
"Agreeable to a previous notice of the School Fund Commissioner of Polk county, the citizens of Fort Des Moines met in the Methodist Church in said place, on the 8th day of September, for the purpose of organizing a

Note: 683 is a drawing

684 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

school district, to be known as School District No. 5, of Des Moines township. The meeting was organized by appointing Benjamin Saylor, chairman, and Thompson Bird, secretary. The meeting, on motion, proceeded to vote for officers of the district, as required by law, to wit: One president, a secretary, and treasurer. On the first ballot, Benjamin Saylor was elected president, Andrew J. Stevens was declared to be elected secretary, and Thompson Bird treasurer. There being no further business before the house, the meeting adjourned to meet again on the first Monday of October next.

"Fort Des Moines, Sept. 8th, 1849."
"THOMPSON BIRD, Secretary.
"FORT DES MOINES, OCT. 1ST, 1849.
"Pursuant to a notice published in the Iowa Star, dated September 19, 1849, the qualified electors of Fort Des Moines assembled in the Methodist church and proceeded to organize by the president of the district taking the chair. The meeting being but poorly attended, on motion, the meeting adjourned to assemble again in the evening, at the office of Lewis Whitten, Esq., at 7 o'clock, 
P. M.
"ANDREW J. STEVENS, Secretary."
" 7 O'CLOCK P. M., OCT. 1, 1849.
" The president in the chair. On motion the meeting proceeded to business by voting to have two schools in the district the coming winter, and ordered by the house the directors rent suitable buildings for the said school. On motion of Lewis Jones, it was resolved that a tax of one and one-half per cent be levied on the taxable property of the school district for school purposes. On motion of Samuel Gray, the meeting adjourned.
"ANDREW J. STEVENS, Secretary."
"FORT DES MOINES, 4 O'CLOCK, P. M.
May 8th. 1850. The adjourned meeting of May the 6th,1850, met pursuant to adjournment. Present, Benjamin Saylor, president, Thompson Bird, treasurer, and Madison Young, secretary.
"The meeting was called to order by the president.
"On motion, the electors present proceeded to vote by ballot whether, they would levy a tax or not upon the taxable property in school district No. five, Des Moines township. One vote was given for a tax and seventeen votes were given for no tax. Whereupon, it was declared that there should be no tax raised for the purpose of renting, hiring, building or buying a school-house, at this time, in school district No. 5, Des Moines township, Polk county, State of Iowa.
"The meeting then adjourned (sine die).

"Fort Des Moines, May 8th, 1850."
"MADISON YOUNG, Secretary.
The records show that Byron Rice, afterward County Judge, was the first teacher. The school fund was about sixty dollars. An additional allowance of two dollars and a half was made per pupil, for twelve weeks, from November 19, 1849. The school was opened in the Methodist church, but in January was removed to the court-house which had been enclosed, but without doors or plaster: The records show alternate resolutions to

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 685

build a school-house, and not to build until the spring of 1851, when it was decided finally to purchase the lots and erect a building.
"November 25, 1850, the directors held a meeting of which the record is as follows:
"The object of the meeting as stated by the president and treasurer was to examine Charles L. Anderson, and see if said Anderson was qualified to teach said school.
"William W. Jones stated that he wished Lewis Whitten to act for him and in his place, to which Mr. Whitten consented, the president and secretary consented and agreed that said Whitten should act as examiner in place of Wm. W. Jones, treasurer. Said Jones then left the examination and the said Lewis Whitten, and Madison Young, secretary, proceeded with the examination of Charles L. Anderson. It was ordered by the president and secretary as directors of said school district, that Byron Rice examine said Charles S. Anderson as to his qualifications in arithmetic. Byron Rice examined said Anderson in arithmetic, after which Samuel Gray and William W. Jones presented to the secretary a certificate and requested the secretary to record it. The following is a true copy of it, viz:
"I The undersigned board of director of school district No. 5, Des Moines township, in Polk county, and State of Iowa, have this day examined Charles L. Anderson Esc., a school teacher, employed by them, and find him well qualified in point of talent and learning to teach school in said district.
SAMUEL GRAY,
" WM. W. JONES,
"Directors.
" Fort Des Moines, November 25, 1850.'

"The secretary will further state that Lewis Whitten, acting as examiner in place of Wm. W. Jones, treasurer, come to the conclusion that Charles L. Anderson, teacher as aforesaid, was incompetent to teach school in point of learning and ability, but made no written report upon the subject.
"Byron Rice, examiner in arithmetic, asked Charles L. Anderson, teacher, as aforesaid, why he multiplied the numerators together and the denominators together in multiplication of vulgar fractions ? Mr. Anderson was unable to tell. Mr. Rice further asked Mr. Anderson why he inverted the divisor in division of vulgar fractions ? Mr. Anderson was unable to tell. Mr. Rice gave Mr. Anderson some sums to do in complex fractions. Mr. Anderson remarked that they were of no earthly use or practical benefit, and if scholars should bring arithmetics to his school that had complex fractions in he should order them to tear said fractions out of their books.
" Byron Rice Esq. refused to make any report either verbal or written, whether Charles L. Anderson was qualified to teach arithmetic or not.
"Madison Young, secretary, examined Charles L. Anderson in reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and English grammar, and came to the conclusion that Charles L. Anderson did not possess sufficient knowledge of reading, arithmetic and English grammar to teach the same, and was incompetent to teach a public school. .

"MADISON YOUNG, Secretary.
"November 25, 1850."

686 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

It appears Mr. Anderson taught the school for, under date of March 24, it was ordered by the directors that C. L. Anderson be paid twenty-four dollars for teaching school. Whether or not he emasculated the text-books of complex fractions the records do not show.
The first Monday in May, 1850, Mrs. Bird opened a female school in the new building on the corner of Second and Locust. This is the building referred to in the Gazette of February 22, 1850. Referring to improvements, it says: " In the north part of town the workmen are getting out timber for a female seminary. In the west end of town the foundation of the new Presbyterian church is laid." That female seminary is now occupied as a cooper shop, and is opposite the West Side fire-engine house. The Presbyterian church stood on the lot south adjoining Mills & Co.'s building, and the two points were the ends of the town.
In 1851 one-half acre was purchased on the corner of Locust and Ninth streets for a school-house site, where Mr. Getchell's residence now is, and a two-story building was erected in 1855, costing about eleven thousand dollars, which subsequently was used as the Third Ward school building, until 1869, when it and the lot was sold and another lot purchased and a new building was erected the following year on Pleasant street. With the erection of this building in 1859 was inaugurated the public school system which to-day has become the pride and glory of the capital city.
In the fall of 1853 Rev. J. A. Nash and his wife opened a select school of high grade, which was known as Forest Home Seminary, which was continued about eight years. It was located in what is now Callanan's addition to the city on Ninth street, and was a beautiful spot, for many years occupied as a residence by James Callanan. Justice as an historian requires the statement, though made against the protest of Mrs. Bird, that to her noble efforts and true womanly character, aided by Mr. Nash and his wife, belongs very much of the credit for laying the foundation of that high moral sentiment, that full appreciation of school privileges which obtains to day. No tax has ever been evaded nor denied by the people of the city which would advance the public school facilities, and the magnificent structures which adorn the city are monuments of excessive liberality and love of education.
In 1858 there was an entire change in the school system of the State, the whole being changed to the Department of Public Instruction, with a State Superintendent as an official head. The records of the schools of Des Moines from November, 1857, to November, 1867, cannot be found, and are probably in the hands of some negligent borrowers, so that we cannot give the date of the organization of the city as an independent district. The city at present comprises two districts; one on either side of the Des Moines river. It was during this decade that the whole school system of the State was changed.
Originally the school-houses on the West Side were distinguished by the Wards, but in 1879 the schools were given a definite name by order of the directors. The First Ward was named Washington; the Second Ward Lincoln; Third Ward Irving; Fourth Ward Crocker; and Cottage Grove, the Hawthorne.
The Lincoln school-house was erected in 1867; the Irvin in 1870; the Crocker in 1875; the Washington in 1874. The present Crocker school building was erected on the site near the second school building erected on

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 687

the West Side, which became dilapidated and unfit for use, and was torn down in 1874.
The annual report of the school directors of the West Side schools for 1878, shows the value of school property to be:

In 1850, the first enumeration showed 203 scholars in Des Moines township The returns for 1879 show there were on the West Side 3,570, and on the East Side 2,234, or a total of 6,804, an increase of 226 each year since 1850. There are forty teachers employed on the West Side, and twenty-eight on the East Side. It is a coincidence that the pupils on the East Side are equally mated, while on the West Side the boys outnumber the girls 268.
The cost of the West Side schools for the year 1879 was $41,865.68, the estimated expense for 1880 is $46,878, of which $27,000 is for teachers. The resources of the district are $50,774.21. School buildings 4, rooms 38; seating capacity 2,150.
In 1865 St. Ambrose School was opened under the care and direction of the Catholic Church, on Sixth street, in the house of worship, with Sister Mary Michael as preceptress. The rapid increase of population necessitated increased facilities, and in 1872 a commodious brick edifice, three stories in height, costing $21,800, was completed, and is now filled to its fall capacity of 481 pupils. Most excellent schools are maintained, and the standard of education is equal to any in the city, and the school is a noble monument to the fostering care, and nobility of character of Rev. Father John F. Brazil. The old frame building was demolished in 1872.
In 1866 the Iowa Law School was established, with Judges Dillon, Cole and Wright, then on the Supreme Bench, as professors. In 1868 it was removed to Iowa City, and became what is now the Law Department of the State University. The first graduates of this school were Thomas S. Wright, Melville C. Wright, Benjamin F. Kauffman, L. F. Andrews, Joseph Lyman, Edgar T. Ensign, I. Woodford, S. S. Ethridge, G. L. Godfrey, G. J. Peet, M. J. Sharman, and Z. F. Bailey.
In November, 1865, was established the Iowa Business College by J. W. Muffly and C. B. Worthington, as one of the chain of Worthington's Colleges. In 1867 it passed into the control of Mr. Muffly; in 1872 to J. Shrock; in 1874 to Jennings & Ward; in 1875 to A. C. Jennings.
In 1868 was started the German-American School in the old Baptist church on Mulberry Street. Subsequently a lot was purchased and a building erected, on Eighth street, at a cost of $7,000. The school is under the management of an incorporate association.
In 1871 St. Mary's German-Catholic School was opened, with three sisters of St. Francis as teachers, from the convent at La Crosse, Wisconsin, under the general direction of Father A. N. Sassel. All the branches of the public schools are taught therein in the English and German languages, and the standard of excellence is of high order.

688 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

In May, 1855, the conference of the Lutheran Church decided to locate and establish a denominational school at or near Des Moines, to be known as Iowa Central College. A board of trustees was elected, of whom F. R. West was president; J. G. Shaffer , secretary; and R. W. Sypher, treasurer. A site was selected and purchased. The school was started in a rented building in town, but was soon after suspended. In 1856 was laid the corner-stone of the college edifice and that year the walls were completed, and the next year the roof was added when work was suspended for want of funds. In 1865 the property was transferred to the Baptist denomination, and work was resumed to complete the building. In April, 1866, was begun the first term of the University of Des Moines, which has since grown to be an institution of prominence in the State. It is located in one of the loveliest spots to be found in the West.
In 1875 a Law Department of Simpson Centenary College was established at Des Moines, known as Iowa Law College, with Rev. Alexander Burns as president, and Hon. C. C. Cole, Hon. Wm. E. Miller, J. B. Bissell, J. S. Runnels, Hon. Galusha A. Parsons and P. N. Bowman as professors.
In. the fall of 1879 a beginning was made for the establishment of a school for the higher education of girls and the preparation of boys for college. During the present year the original plan has culminated in Callanan College, so called in Honor of James Callanan who secured the object sought, by his liberal donations. The beautiful property of J. B. Stewart, on Pleasant street was purchased and elegant buildings are being erected which will accommodate 250 pupils. It is more specially designed as a boarding school for young ladies, of the highest order of excellence. The president is Rev. C. R. Pomeroy, D. D., assisted by an able corps of professors.
The first board of trustees consists of James Callanan, Samuel Merrill, J. J. Williams, C. C. Nourse, C. H. Rawson, J. S. Polk, J. S. Clarkson, C. H. Gatch, J. N. Dewey, C. H. Getchell, J. Ankeny, John Wyman, Wesley Redhead. The following are the officers of the board: James Callanan, president; J. N. Dewey, vice-president; J. J. Williams, secretary; Samuel Merrill, treasurer.
The East Side schools were organized in the spring of 1858, and for some time were held in rented rooms. The first school-house was built by a few public-spirited citizens, consisting of Judge M. D. McHenry, Homer Lyon, M. L. Devin, G. W. Connor, Alexander Shaw, S. Goodell, and I. Brandt. The building was located on lot twelve, block three, of H. Lyon's Addition.
The first school board consisted of James L. Scott, Dr. T. K. Brooks, and---------.
A. D. McHenry was elected treasurer and Dr. Alex. Shaw, secretary. The schools were designated by wards until 1879, when they were given definite names, as on the West Side. They are located as follows:
Bryant School, corner of Sycamore street and Pennsylvania Avenue. This building was erected in 1866, at a cost of thirty-two thousand dollars, and will accommodate some six hundred pupils. It has four primary, four intermediate, and two grammar departments.
Webster School, corner of East Twelfth and Lyon streets, was built in 1877, at an expense of forty thousand dollars, and has a seating capacity for seven hundred pupils.

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Lucas School, corner of Sixteenth and Locust streets, cost six thousand dollars, and provides school privileges for two hundred and fifty.
Curtis School, corner of Sixth and Raccoon streets, furnishes accommodations for two hundred and fifty, and cost six thousand dollars.
Burns School is near the packing-houses, and is held in a room rented for that purpose.
We are unable to give a complete record of the East Side schools because the records cannot be found.

NEWSPAPERS.

Simultaneous with the church and school the printing press was set up in Des Moines, thus completing the means of laying the foundation for a progressive, intelligent people. Late in the year 1848 a prospectus was issued by a gentleman named Blair, who announced his intention to establish a newspaper at the "Fort." It was to be Democratic in politics, the majority of politics at that time being of that kind, and to be christened The Star. The material was ordered, but next spring Mr. Blair was carried off by a sudden and severe attack of California fever, leaving Barlow Granger to carry out his enterprise. But the whole project failed. The next winter Judge Curtis Bates furnished the money, and Mr. Granger purchased an outfit at Iowa City, and Jonathan Rathbun and Charles Winkley were employed to transport it to the Fort. With much difficulty the material arrived, and the first paper appeared June 26th, 1849, with Barlow Granger & Co. as publishers. The first paper printed was taken by Lewis Jones. The first money received was from Thomas Mitchell, a Free Soil Whig. The office was located in one of the barrack buildings, near 'Coon Point. The event was a notable one in the little hamlet. Barlow, as he was familiarly called, being exceedingly popular and active in various enterprises of the day, whether of business, law, or politics, his pioneer paper received the hearty support of every citizen, on paper. Politics were high. The Wilmot Proviso and Tom Benton were before the people. Barlow went in for Benton. But his little Star twinkled out in August, the teamster having been floored with the "shakes" while en route from Keokuk with paper.
There was no occupation for a local reporter in those days. Everybody knew each other's business and what was going on. News from abroad was received at long intervals. Advertisements of that day show that stages run from the Fort to Keokuk three times a week, but if they got through once a week they did well. Stages were also advertised from the Fort to Kanesville, now Council Bluffs.
Martin Tucker, who signed his name with an X, until he gained the title of Martin X Tucker, advertised his hotel as " having run an avenue through it, and having put up a condition to it, he would be able to detain the public in a more hostile manner. Also Stabling at Right Angles for quantity, and abundance of provender for horses, and plenty to eat," which pronunciamento called out a rejoinder from a hotel-keeper down at Avon, who declared he would beat Martin X Tucker, "who treated his guests in a hostile manner and put a condition to his house."
At the end of a year Mr. Granger retired, satisfied with his hebdomadal glory and resumed the practice of law, February 22, 1850. The paper passed into the possession of Judge Curtis Bates, who associated with him Luther Johnson of Iowa City, who, in May, died from small pox. In

690 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

August, 1851, Dr. A. Y. Hull, a wide-awake, business, bustling speculative gentleman, joined Mr. Bates, and remained with the paper until May, 1851, when he retired. In June, 1854, Judge Bates was nominated for governor on the Democratic ticket (he died in 1879), and as that would necessitate field work, Dan. O. Finch became associate editor. Dan. was in his heyday of life, alert, energetic, and a politician of no mean pretensions. The Star dropped out of sight and under the new regime, the title was, changed to Argus. Newspaper editing was not Dan's forte, and he retired the paper going into the hands of Tomlinson & Farner, .who re-christened it as the Statesman. In, February, 1857 its name was again changed, to Iowa State Journal, and Will Porter, Robert Hedge and H. C. Rippey were editors and publishers. In 1858 it passed to Stilson Hutchins and Geo. M. Todd, who re-christened it The Iowa Statesman, and waged war against abolitionists and Republicans. The name was changed to the Des Moines Times, but .it turned up its toes after an ephemeral existence, in the summer of 1860. Prior to the decease of the Times, Mr. Hutchins went to St. Louis and started the St. Louis Times. In 1860 A. J. Stevens and W. H. Hoxie started an independent paper which they named the Commonwealth. The following year the paper was sold to J. B. Bausman and S. W. Russell, the venerable "Esquire," who is still working at the case with Mills & Co. In 1862 Col. W. H. Merritt purchased the material of the Times and also of the Commonwealth. which had also suspended, and revived the Democratic paper and called it the Statesman. Three years after Col. Merritt disposed of the paper to Staub & Jenkins, who soon after transferred it to G. W. Snow, who died Sept. 20, 1870. Up to this time the paper had eked out a precarious existence. In 1870 the material of the office passed to Barnhart Bros. and W. W. Witmer, who changed the title to State Leader, which in 1872 passed to the control of Mr. Witmer. In 1875 a stock company was formed of which Mr. Witmer was made president and general manager. Since then he has been in control of the paper, its editor and manager; a portion of the stock being held by other prominent Democrats in Des Moines. It is issued as an eight-column folio, daily, and ten page, six columns to page, weekly both editions having a general circulation throughout the State, and the business of the office is in a prosperous condition, keeping pace with the growth of the city. The editorial staff consists of H. J. Philpot, associate editor; Charles H. Painter, city editor; George F. McCracken, reporter. Thus it will be seen the Leader was the direct lineal political descendant of the Star, though its genealogical thread was slightly disjointed in 1860.
Soon after the Star began to shine, the Whigs set about to eclipse it with an organ of their own. L. P. Sherman, brother of Hoyt, Gen. William Tecumseh, John and Charles, was induced to remove hither. He had been employed in the. Cincinnati Gazette office where he was twelve years. He was an excellent printer and possessed the ability to make, a good paper. He brought with him the entire outfit for the enterprise which was placed in one of the barrack buildings opposite the Star office, which was in the second story of. a building next to Given's plow factory, corner of Third and Market. Mr. Sherman, familiarly known as "Lamp," named his paper the Fort Des Moines Gazette. The first number was issued Jan. 1, 1850. It was a seven-column sheet and shows the typographical skill and taste of a good printer. Lamp says they got along very well except when, the snow flew, then it would blow through the cracks of the

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 691

log walls and fill the type cases with snow and freeze up the ink and presses. By setting kettles of live coals about under the press they managed to keep it thawed out so as to get out the paper. But over at the Star office they preferred to sit around grocery fires and swap yarns to keeping their own office running, and when publication day came they would. come over and borrow the Gazette forms, take off the heading, put on that of the ,Star, and print their paper. Lamp entered into his work with energy, and poured hot shot into the camp of the Locofocos, as he styled the Democrats, with great briskness. After working six months, paying expenses without recompense, Lamp concluded he must have help. A citizens' meeting was called, at which it was agreed to assume one-half the liabilities of the office and furnish an assistant editor and outside business man. The assistant editor was Judge W. W. Williamson; the business man was Peter Myers, and Feb. 28, 1851, the name of the paper was changed to the Iowa State Journal, Peter Myers & Co. publishers. Aug. 26, 1852, when Winfield Scott was running for President, the paper petered out, and Lamp retired permanently from the newspaper business.
The Star was alone in its effulgent glory until February, 1856, when Thomas H. Shepherd and A. J. Stephens, a banker, started a paper named the Iowa Citizen. In February, of the next year, Mr. Shepherd retired, and was succeeded by W. H. Farner, who had politically flopped over to the Free Soilers, and J. M. Dixon, the well-known now " blind editor," was associated with him. In August of that year the paper passed into the control of James C. Savery, and Mr. Farner retired, leaving Mr. Dixon sole editor, until December 7. John Teesdale purchased the establishment, and Mr. Dixon was retained as associate editor. February 15, 1860, the name of the paper was changed to Iowa State Register, and May 8th of that year Mr. Teesdale published his valedictory, and was succeeded by Frank W. Palmer. Two years later, January 13, 1862, the first number of the daily was issued. In 1866 Mr. Palmer sold the paper to Mills & Co., who retained Palmer and Dixon as editors. The latter, however, became blind, and was compelled to vacate his chair at the old round table, which he had occupied with much ability for eleven years. December 6th,1870, the paper passed into the possession of R. P. and J. S.Clarkson (" Ret") , who have since controlled it and made it one of the leading papers of the West. Its staff is " Ret," editor in chief, D. C. O'Reagan, night editor, A. R. Kimball, city editor, R. P. Clarkson, business manager.
Marvelous in comparison are copies of the Gazette of January 1. 1850, and the State Register of to-day. Then mails were few and far between. News from Washington forty days on the way. Four columns made up the compliment of advertisements, paid for in truck and dicker, and gutta percha promises, never fulfilled. Railroads and telegraph were in the far off future. To-day the Register reflects the news from the ends of the earth. Its broad pages and long columns furnish news and miscellany each day equal to a book of large size. Thirty compositors are busy putting in type the daily news of the busy, bustling world. The old hand press of 1850, with its capacity of 240 sheets an hour, is superseded by a Hoe double cylinder, throwing off six thousand sheets each hour, and sixty-five persons complete the working force of the establishment. The Clarkson boys are evidently to 'the manner" born. By close application, push and pluck, they have advanced their business to extensive and profitable proportions, complete in all its departments.

692 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

March 11, 1869, R. G. Orwig established the Bulletin as a daily and weekly. It was Republican in politics, pungent, lively, and smart. In 1870 it was sold to Mills & Co.
December 31, 1870, the Review was started as an hebdomadal sheet, by Stewart, Waterman & Speed.
In 1872 a corporation was formed, with George W. Edwards, president, George A. Stewart, secretary, known as the Republican Printing Company, and May 18th of that year the Review was sold to this company and the Daily Republican started. In January, 1873, a new corporation, known as the State Printing Company, was formed for the purpose of printing auxiliary or "patent insides" for other papers throughout the State. In October, 1873, the Republican passed into the control of this company, and the title of the paper was changed to the State Journal. In April, 1874, the paper passed into the hands of G. W. Edwards, and on October 25th, of the same year, it was sold to J. E. Williams, John G. Blair, and R. G. Pierson, who continued the daily until October 23, 1875, when it was suspended. August 10th, following, the paper passed into the hands of Mr. Blair, who has since continued its weekly issue.
In September, 1876, The People was started, J. F. Thompson, editor, as the advocate of Peter Cooper for President. It was issued as a daily several months, and in 1879, turned up its toes, a victim of many vicissitudes, in which the redoubtable Porte C. Welch took a losing hand, and was succeeded by the State Tribune, December 17, 1879, a weekly paper started by a stock company as the organ of the Greenback party, with P. P. Ingalls as editor.
In the winter of 1858-9 Wm. Duane Wilson removed the Iowa Farmer, a monthly publication, from Mt. Pleasant to Des Moines, and changed it to a weekly. A few months after it was sold to Hiram Torrey, who changed the name to Pioneer Farmer, and in a few months it was again sold to Simmons, who soon tired of paying expenses without income, and sold to Mark Miller, the veteran pomologist, at that time the Western editor of Downing's Agriculturalist. Mr. Miller changed the title to the Iowa Homestead, and soon after sold to H. W. Pettitt, a versatile genius, who made it an attractive sheet. He died in 1866, when the paper passed into the possession of Mills & Co., who soon after sold to Mr. Wilson, and he again became the possessor. In September, 1873, it was purchased by Dr. George W. Sprague, who changed the title to Homestead and Western Farm Journal, who conducted it until July of the present year, when it was sold to Ex-Lieutenant-Governor B. F. Gue.
In January, 1866, W. S. Peterson removed the Temperance Platform from Dubuque to Des Moines. It was a weekly issue, devoted to total abstinence and prohibition. In 1868 it was sold to the Grand Lodge of Good Templars, and the title changed to Temperance Standard, with S. M. Holt, W. H. Fleming, editors. The next year it was sold to Mr. Holt and removed to Marshalltown.
In 1875 the Iowa State Record was started by Fuller, Heartwell & Orwig, as a weekly paper, " to supply a long-felt need," which, in a few months, joined the innumerable caravan of disappointed hopes and unrealized expectations. The material was sold to the State Journal office. The press was a notable one, as being the identical press set up by Hon. Schuyler Colfax for his South Bend Register, and was the first set up in that city. It is in good condition to-day.

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October 7, 1871, Conrad Beck started a German paper entitled the Staats Anzeiger, which February 14,1874, was sold to Col. Joseph Eiboeck, a genial and talented gentleman, who is now its editor.
In 1870 H. M. Bisbard started Plain Talk, a small weekly paper on the East Side, devoted to local news of that locality. The paper is still continued.
In January, 1872, T. G. Orwig established the Industrial Motor, a small weekly issue, devoted especially to mechanics, new inventions and patent rights.
In July, 1872, H. S. Hyatt removed to Des Moines the Iowa Progress, devoted to the resources and industries of the State, which at the end of one year was removed to St. Louis.
In May, 1875, to combat the prohibition element then prevailing in polities, the Herald of Liberty was started by Col. Eiboeck, which after a few months was suspended and January 21, 1880, was followed by the State Independent, as the organ of individual liberty in thought and action.
July 16, 1874, the Patron's Helper made its appearance as the organ of the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grangers, so facetiously called, N. W. Garretson, publisher. In November of that year it was sold to George W. Jones, and was discontinued in 1877.
September 18, 1879, appeared the first number of the Mail Car, a sprightly weekly paper, devoted to society news, light gossip and miscellany, with H. R. Persinger, publisher.
February 14, 1880, Perry Perkins established the Prohibitionist as the advocate of doctrines indicated in its title, and to avert the keen lance thrusts of Col. Eiboeek's Independent.
This completes the history of such newspapers as have had sufficient existence to give them a name and place in history. Perhaps the quaint and humorous Tac Hussey will consider this a condign consignment of his spicy New Broom, which swept cobwebs from the dull and prosy brain for nearly two years from November 25, 1869.
In May, 1875, J. P. Bushnell started the Commercial and Railway Gazette, devoted to the resources and industries of Iowa and Northwest, as the official organ of the State Immigration Board. August 19th, of the present year, it was merged in the Iowa Homestead and Farm Journal, and made a special department of that paper, with Mr. Bushnell as editor.
The record of newspapers has been made up by reference to old settlers and resident parties who were connected with the press in those days, so that the dates are largely dependent upon memory.
The compilation of the record of the Star and its successors has been difficult, as no files are extant except the State Journal, published by Will Porter. There being few book binderies in the State, the papers were not preserved. Judge Bates consigned the files of the Star, Argus and Statesman to a barrel, which when search was made for them years afterward were found the nest of mice and utterly destroyed. The Gazette and State Journal were carefully preserved and bound, thus becoming of almost incalculable value. The importance of prepreserving files of newspapers was illustrated in 1862, when the Ninth General Assembly changed the law respecting the right to dower. The law was enacted to take effect on and after its publication in two newspapers, one of which was the Des Moines Times. By

694 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

some oversight the certificate of publication of the law was not made to the Secretary of State, and the law did not therefore go into effect until July. Subsequently actions were begun to recover dower, under the law, vesting between the time of the publication and July. In many cases the amounts involved were large and the time was highly important. It was therefore, necessary to prove the publication in the Times, but not a copy could be found, although five hundred dollars was offered for one containing that law, so completely had the paper become annihilated. The loss was a serious one throughout the State.
The historian of these pages does not pretend here to record the frequent uprising of newspaper ventures which so soon were done for; the wonder is what they were begun for. Their names are legion-probably no city in the West can show a larger record.
Three monthly periodicals have been published here:
The Iowa School Journal was started in 1859, as the organ of the State department of Public Instruction by Mills Bros. In 1872 it was sold to C. M. Greene, who in 1875 sold it to W. E. Crosby, who removed it to Davenport.
In 1866, Mills & Co. started the Western Jurist, a law magazine with W. G. Hammond, now law chancellor of the State University, as editor, which has become one of the best and leading law journals in the country.
In 1874 Dr. J. E. Hendricks started the Analyst, devoted exclusively to mathematics, and which has become a popular and standard publication among the leading mathematicians of the world.
In 1866-7 the first city directory was published by Mills & Co., and was compiled by L. F. Andrews, the veteran journalist of the city. This was followed by another in 1869, since when it has been regularly published by J. P. Bushnell.

CIVIC SOCIETIES.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows-Fort Des Moines Lodge, No. 25, instituted April 26, 1850, with Madison Young, C. C. Van, Marshal Townsley, B. F. Allen, I. J. Cole, and Granville Holland, as charter members. Their first lodge room was over Holland's store, the lodge having furnished a portion of the means to erect the building on Second street near Market.
Capital Lodge, No. 106, was instituted June 5, 1857, with H. H. Griffith, Will. Tomlinson, M. L. Devin, P. Van Horn, John P. Haskins, and W. Rhemsburg, as charter members. Its hall is at the corner of East Sixth and Sycamore. This lodge has a library connected with it.
Jonathan Lodge, No. 137 (German), was instituted in 1865. Its first meetings were held in Cooper's Block, on Court Avenue.
Rebecca Degree Lodge was. chartered in 1871, with W. W. and Mary R. Moore, S. H. and Mary Haskell, W. F. and Mary M. Thomason, Lamoine and Gertrude C. Mott, George and Pauline E. Sneer, George C. and Mary J. Jeffries, D. V. and Henrietta N. Cole, as charter members.
Ebenezer Encampment, was instituted March 15, 1853, with W. W. Moore, P. M. Casady, C. C. Van, Peter Myers, R. L. Tidrick, D. V. Cole, and Alex. Bowers, as charter members.
Free and Accepted Masons-Pioneer Lodge, No. 22, was instituted January 16, 1850, with J. E. Jewett, Benjamin Coffeen, W. T. Marion, John W. Rush, T. G. Burbridge, J. J. Davis, and J. S. Dicks, as charter members.

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 695

The first person admitted to membership was Madison Young, February 22, 1850.
Capital Lodge (East Side) was instituted June 15,1857, with J. M. Griffiths, J. A. Williamson, J. W. Stanton, H. H. Griffiths, Stewart Goodrell, and T. K. Brooks, as charter members.
Corinthian Chapter, R. A. M., No. 14, was instituted June 14, 1856, with Scovill White, J. E. Jewett, John Youngerman, C. P. Luse, A. Y. Hall, J. M. Griffiths, A. Morris, W. T. Smith, and J. H. Given, as charter members.
Capital Council, of R. and S. M., No. 9, was instituted June 17, 1867, with Lewis Kinsey, Absolom Morris, H. H. Griffihs, J. M. Griffiths, S. M. Good, J. H. Dykeman, J. B. Miller, J. E. Fleischman, R. W. Sypher, Charles Linderman, and Hiram Robinson, as charter members.
Emanuel Consistory, A.-.A.-.A.-. No. 2, was organized in 1867, with Joseph M. Griffiths, Henry H. Griffiths, Wesley Redhead, S. M. Good, Isaac N. Thomas, John A. Elliott, Charles Linderman, J. B. Tiffin, Charles A. Mosier, Thomas A. Boyd, and Thomas W. Calberts, as charter members.
Des Moines Commandery, K. T., No. 4, was organized in 1857, with John Scott, Solomon McCain, A. Morris, E. F. Hooker, J. Y. Hopkins, and Thomas Thompson, as charter members. In 1866 its title was changed to Temple Commandery.
Home Lodge, No. 370, was instituted under a dispensation January 12, 1876, and chartered June 11, 1876, with Wm. Brunton, C. S. Binkley, L. E. Ayers, D. E. Perkins, J. R. Crawshaw, H. Cunningham, James Allen, S., Steward, Wm. Langley, J. Steward, and D. W. Johnson, as charter members.
Eastern Star Degree Lodge, of Home Lodge, was chartered December 12, 1871. Its membership is composed of the wives and daughters of A. F. and A. M.
North Star Lodge, F. A. & Y. M. (colored), was organized in 1872, and re-organized in 1875. Its first officers were J. S. Carter, S. B. Smith, E. Morton, J. Long, and A. W. Berney.
Knights of Pythias-Myrtle Lodge, No. 9, was founded February 22, 1871, with M. T. Y. Bowman, W. W. Moore, S. M. Good, L. Voight, C. T. Hewitt, W. A. Abbott, G. B. Wicks, Chris. Bathman, Charles Weitz, Conrad Youngerman, L. M. G. Barnett, Louis Harbach, W. L. White, George Vincent, and George A. McVicker, as charter members. It was re-organized in March, 1875.
Capital City Lodge, No. 29, was organized March 22, 1876, with W. P. Bentley, James C. Savery, J. S. Clarkson, George H. Bugbee, C. S. Wilson, S. M. Elliott, W. S. Grimes, J. L. Keyes, Galusha Parsons, H. L. Skinner, J. S. Runnells, and Wm. Foster, as charter members.
Ancient Order of United Workmen-Des Moines Lodge, No 18, was organized March 15, 1875. The objects of this order are to promote the interests and welfare of its members, to render assistance and protection in times of sickness, and insurance in case of death.
Capital Lodge, No. 14, was organized February 8, 1875, on the East Side, with the following charter members: Samuel M. Good, John O. Skinner, George F. Walker, John A. Bryan, Charles H. Ward, William Hadgley, Wm. H. Shaw, Samuel Green, Josiah F. Kennedy, Clarence B. Jones, Graves B. Hammer, Isaac Brandt, George Garver, Samuel M. Elliott,

696 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

Homer C. Paige, Wm. H. Fleming. This lodge has a library connected with it.
Temperance Organizations-Through the personal effort of Judge M. D. McHenry a division of the Sons of Temperance was organized in 1856, and it was given the title of Golden Rule, No. 81, being the same as that of which he was a member in Kentucky. This order has been nearly supplanted by the Independent Order of Good Templars.
January 29, 1877, Des Moines Lodge, I. O. of G. T., was organized on the East Side by Hon. George W. McCrary, now Judge of the U. S. Circuit Court, with Samuel A. Ayres, John Davis, Jas. C. Cooper, Wm. Osborne, John B. Hardin, E. A. Snyder, E. E. Kimball, N. B. Cooley, Freeman Tisdale, J. H. Armstrong, Wm. Riddle, Martha A. Cooley, Ann Tisdale, Rowena Foster, as charter members.
Eureka Degree Temple, No. 4, I. O. of G. T., was organized October 18, 1858, with Isaac Brandt, Geo. O. Chambers, T. W. Gill, John H. Looby, Wm. Rhemsburg, M. E. Rhemsburg, Sarah A. Rhemsburg, Isabella, Francis and Jennie Owens, as charter members.
Union Lodge, I. O. of G. T., No. 263, was organized on the West Side, May 7, 1863, with A. W. Rollins, D. D. Skinner, Ed. B. Stillman, George D. Ingersoll, Thos. E. Keeney, George A. Sells, George A. McVicker, W. H. M. Smith, W. A. Saylor, C. W. Rhoades, Frank Mix, Ed. C. Russell, Mrs. C. E. Lanatrum, Mrs. Mary Smith, Mrs. Sue Rogg, Mrs. M. A. Peters, Mrs. R. Leyner, and Mrs. Kate L.Turk, as charter members.
The Des Moines Reform Club, West Side, Capital City Reform Club, East Side, and Prohibition Club, West Side, were organized in 1878-79.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union was incorporated under State law in 1880, although it had a prior organization for one or two years.
Legion of Honor.-El Dorado Lodge, No. 25, was organized on the West Side July 1, 1879. Its objects are a system of co-operative mutual insurance in case of sickness or death. Charter officers: Worthy President, P. H. Bristow; Worthy Vice-President, Geo. H. Gardner; Chaplain, F. J. Cressey; Recording Secretary, W. A. Agard; Financial Secretary, T. L. Johnson; Treasurer, Augustus Smith; Usher, C. H. Turner; Doorkeeper, J. M. Laird; Sentinel, C. D. Shreves; Trustees, G. M. Walker, H. R. Heath, John O. Mahana. This lodge started with seventy-one charter members.
Excelsior Lodge, No. 24, was organized on the East Side, July 1, 1879, with the following charter officers: Worthy President, W. A. laskell; Worthy Vice-.President, W. L. Reed; Recording Secretary, T. H. Smith; Financial Secretary, A. C. Stephenson; Treasurer, L. E. Ayers; Chaplain, J. A. Boyer; Usher, ; Sentinel, Oscar Clark; Doorkeeper, R. W. Russell; Trustees, Leander Bolton, R. W. Russell.
Miscellaneous Associations.-Des Moines Turner Society was organized July 12, 1857, and August 8 of the same year was admitted to the North American Turnerbund. The charter members were: George Neidhardt, Ferd. Sandber, John Raible, Gotleib Utz, Gotleib Munzenmeier, John Herman, J. F. Kappes, Christ. Hartleib, Louis Stutz, Fred. Harbach, And. Se- xauer, Christ. Wetlig, Wend. Miehl, Charles Neckerman, Fred. Sinn, Henry Heers, Chas. P. Reinig, Fred. Reinig, Hobert Water, Franz Ibler. The object of the society is the cultivation of the more perfect man, physically and mentally. Monthly meetings are held for mental exercises, comprising music, lectures, debates and the discussion of all living questions.

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 697

Special attention is given to the maintenance of a Germano-American day, and Sunday free non-sectarian school. A system of benefit insurance is also one of the objects.
The Library Association was organized December 17th, 1866. On the 2d of May, 1876, it was transferred to the care of ladies and it took a new lease of life. Its rooms are on West Fourth Street, near Court Avenue.
Saux Tribe, No. 2, Improved Order of Red Men, was organized in October, 1871. This order is the oldest in the Union, dating back to 1771. Its motto is: " Freedom, friendship and charity."
The Caledonian Club was organized September 10,1872, with Georga R. McIntosh, George E. Lillie, John Sneddon, L. M. Squair and John Burnside as the first officers. It was incorporated in 1873.
St. George's Society was organized by Thomas Brooke January 5,1874, with T. M. Knight, T. D. Hulme, J. Fellows, J. Dixon, S. Lowe and Thos. Brooke as its first officers.
Des Moines Division, No. 38, of Conductor's Brotherhood was organized December 21, 1875, with Charles E. Smith, J. C. Hewitt, O. S. Ward, C. W. Curtis, A. McBride, G. W. Bull, D. Bowers, T. Crouch, J. A. Taylor, J. A. Platt, C. M. Burnett, Charles Morse, Wils. Edmunson and G. W. Donaldson as charter members.
Des Moines Division, No. 113, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,, was organized February 12, 1870, with C. S. Binkley, W. Slade, J. J.. Goodwin, M. S. Barney, G. W. Warren, Wm. Sprague and Henry Marvin as the first board of officers.
The Society of Ancient Order of Hibernians was organized June 25, 1876,. with David Bulger, James McNerney, Peter Heeney, Thomas Killeen, Nicholas Walsh as its first officers.
Lazarus Samich Lodge of K. S. B. was organized November 17, 1876,. with M. Riegelman, M. Strauss, J. Mandelbaum, L. M. Doctor, H. Riegelman, H. Younkers, M. Schloss, J. Riegelman, H. Hiller, L. Ortleib, L. Hirsch, Ro. F. Shawr, as it first officers.
Fidelity Lodge, Knights of Honor, was organized in 1879, with George Sneer, Hamilton Browne, J. O. Mahana, J. M. Laird, B. J. Bartlett, C. G. Lewis, F. Case, Alexander Hastie, S. G. Cope, Chas. P. Reinig, M. C. Christy, R. M. Stone, W. D. Ellsworth, F. J. Cressy and J. W. Muffly as charter members. The object of the order is the insurance of members in case of sickness and death.
Iowa State Mutual Benefit Association, incorporated in April, 1878, with Rev. J. A. Nash, President. It is a temperance life assurance association.
Union Ladies' Relief Society, organized in 1875, for the relief of the indigent poor of the city. It is managed by ladies of the city.
Young Men's Christian Association, was organized in 1856 and reorganized in 1878, and is now in a flourishing condition.
Grand Army of the Republic.-Kinsman Post, No. 7, was organized
in February, 1879, with the following charter members: L. E. Ayres, W. F. Conrad, J. C. Painter, G. L. Berry, Randolph Frame, M. C. Stanes, A. H. Botkin, B. H. Dear, C. W. Nelson, R. W. Hamilton, Joseph F. Burgess, Chas. H. McCauley, A. W. Guthrie, John Shanley, Durbin Grupe.
Crocker Post, No. 12, was organized March 12, 1878, with the following charter members: W. L. Alexander, Geo. W. Bristow, M. T. Y. Bowman, W. L. Davis, Josiah Given, George Griffith, Dr. George P. Hannawalt, J.

698 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

H. Long, D. R. Lucas, M. K. McFadden, Wm. Merrill, Thomas Morgan, Thomas G. Orwig, W. H. Sallada, Fred. S. Whiting, C. S. Wilson, J. S. Walker, Godfrey Zelle, S. K. Clifford, Jesse W. Cheek, Joel W. Witmer.
Joe Booker Post, No. 21, was organized November 18, 1879, with the following charter members: Samuel Hilton, Edward Hyland, Abraham Ashworth, John C. Lang, H. E. Waltz, W. Bailey, Jas. Parker, A. P. Kindred, D. T. Todd, Joseph Gifford , Geo. W. Cripps, L. H. Bradshaw, A. D. Littleton, C. L. Watrous, F. Beaner, F. R. Thurber, Jno. Lewis, L. C. Freeman, John McKims, C. R. Iddings, P. V. Carey, B. H. Dear, T. B. Robinson, B. D. Bartlett, S. L. Fuller, Alf. Hammer, F. M. Tubbs, L. C. Young, Peter Lambert, J. W. Mills, W. J. Baber, A. W. Warnock.

CORPORATIONS FOR PECUNIARY PROFIT.

There are two fire and one life insurance companies in the city. The Hawkeye Fire Insurance Company was organized March 6,1865, by E. J. Ingersoll, B. F. Allen, F. W. Palmer, James Callanan, and J. B. Tiffin. Mr. Ingersoll has been its president from the outset. Its assets have increased from $28,617.14, in 1866, to $603,190.97, on January 1, 1880. Its capital is $100,000, liabilities, $236,625.70, surplus, $266,565.27.
The State Fire Insurance Company was organized September 5, 1865, with W. M. Stone, president; C. C. Cole, vice-president; W. H. Holmes, treasurer; J. M. Shuck, secretary. Capital, January 1, 1880, $130,000, gross surplus, $243,435.97, assets, $387,763.59.
The Equitable Life Insurance Company was incorporated January 25, 1867, with Hoyt Sherman, president, who still continues in office. Capital, $100,000, assets, $476,408.36, liabilities, $432,408.36, amount deposited with State Auditor to secure policy holders, $315,000.
The Des Moines Gas Company was organized in April, 1864, by James M. Starr, of Richmond, Indiana. The works were located at the corner of West Second and Market streets, and on Tuesday evening, July 11, 1865, the city was first lighted by gas. In September, 1875, the Capital City Gas Light Company was organized by J. F. Marsh, who was its president. Its works were located at the corner of East First and Market. It purchased the old gas works, and on the evening of November 23, 1876, the city was first lighted by this company.
The Des Moines Water Company was organized April 3, 1871, by B. F. Allen, J. S. Polk, J. C. Savery, J. M. Tuttle, Hoyt Sherman, P. M. Casady, John A. Elliott, George Whitaker, F. M. Hubbell and Wm. Braden. The capital was originally $50,000, but was increased to $300,000. The Holly system was adopted, works were erected, and the city supplied with water in 1871. The works subsequently passed into the hands of Polk and Hubbell, and during the present year were sold to a joint stock company.
In 1854 Hoyt Sherman commenced the banking business in the town of Des Moines, which was merged in the Des Moines branch of the State Bank, January 1, 1859, with Mr. Sherman as cashier. In May, 1865, the bank was reorganized as the National State Bank, and continued until May, 1876, when it surrendered its charter, closed its business and was succeeded by F. R. West & Sons, as private bankers.
In 1868 John W. Ulm started a private bank, and the following year was joined by Samuel Coskery. In November, 1871, a corporation under the name of Citizens' Bank was organized, with Samuel Merrill, president;

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 699

John A. Elliott, vice-president; and John W. Ulm, cashier, and the bank of Ulm & Coskery was transferred to the new corporation. May 15, 1872, the bank was reorganized as the Citizens' National Bank, without change of officers, and has since continued as a national bank.
The Iowa National Bank was organized November 1, 1875, with H. K. Love, president, and George H. Maish, cashier.
In 1864 the First National Bank was organized, with J. B. Stewart, president, and Charles Mosher, cashier. In 1870, it surrendered its charter and wound up its business, Mr. Stewart having two years previously sold his interest to B. F. Allen and retired from the bank. During Mr. Stewart's presidency the bank cashed, at different times, two government drafts for five hundred thousand dollars each.
In 1864 the Second National Bank was organized, G. M. Hippee, president, and George W. Jones, cashier. In 1870 it surrendered its charter and wound up its affairs simultaneously with the First National Bank.
The Iowa Loan and Trust Company was incorporated February 13, 1872, with John A. Elliott, James Callanan, Corydon E. Fuller, John W. Ulm, James B. Heartwell, John M. Coggeshall, Samuel Merrill, John M. Owens, George A. Jewett, M. T. Russell, C. C. Carpenter, Brown & Dudley, I. N. Thomas and J. G. Weeks as corporators. Its capital is $100,000, with a limit of $1,000,000. Its business is that of making loans on real estate security.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The first organization of a system for protection against fire was perfected in 1865; by Charles S. Spofford, Charles Harrington, William England, William Neafie, Jack Sell, and John Miller, who volunteered their services as a hook and ladder company. The city purchased a small hand engine, and the company was reorganized as the Hawkeye Hose Company, with John Miller, president; Wm. England, secretary; David Utterson, treasurer; Charles S. Spoford, chief engineer; Charles Harrington, foreman; Jack Sells, assistant foreman.
In March, 1867, a fire company was organized, with Gustavus Washburne as foreman, and the city council solicited to purchase a steam fire engine. The project failed, and the company disbanded. In April, of the same year, a new company was organized, as the Rescue Hook and Ladder Company, and the officers of the Hawkeye Hose Company were made officers of the new company. In 1868, the city having purchased the steam fire engine Gen. Crocker, Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company was organized, who took possession of the old hook and ladder trucks, the Hawkeye Hose Company taking the hose cart. Both were consolidated and constituted one department, as Reserve No. 1, with Charles S. Spofford as chief:
In 1870 the steamer was superseded by the water-works, the fire department was reorganized, and a consolidation perfected, under the name of Hawkeye Hose Company, No. 1.(West Side), and Fellowship Hose Company, No. 2 (East Side), and Relief Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1.
The department was made co-extensive with the city. The first officers were Frank Voodry, president; R. Morris, vice-president; W. H. Brucken, secretary; John McGuire, treasurer. June 2, 1873, the city council established the fire department of the city, and the different organizations were placed under control of a chief engineer, subject to direction of the city council. William Neafie was elected first chief engineer under this code, with Frank Voodry as his assistant.

700 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

RAILROADS.

The pioneer settlers of Des Moines parted company with railroads at Chicago, and slowly groped their way with wagons to the Raccoon Forks; or shipped on some river steamboat and came to Keokuk or Montrose; thence by wagon. On the 9th of May, 1843, landed at the bank of the Des Moines river, near where the Keokuk & Des Moines railroad bridge now stands, the little steamer Ione, the first steamboat that parted the waters of that stream at this point. From her deck was landed a small body of soldiers, who, constituted the subsequent garrison of the Fort.

In 1849 Fink & Walker established a stage line from Keokuk to Des Moines, which advertised to run three times a week, but passengers were more frequently content to make one trip in a week in a "jerky," with the diversion of carrying a rail to pry the vehicle out of the mud at frequent intervals. This company was superseded by the Western Stage Company, who had started from Indianapolis, slowly retreating westward before the advance of railroads. July 1, 1854, the first coach of this company entered Des Moines. Col. E. F. Hooker, as superintendent, came with it. The headquarters were at the Everett House, which stood on Third street, on the lot first north of Harbach's furniture establishment. This was an immense corporation, and possessed a large equipment. It owned a farm of six hundred acres near the city, on which it raised grass and grain and rejuvenated dilapidated horses. It occupied a good extent of territory in the town for barns, sheds, repair shop, etc. It, however, was compelled to retreat before the onward tread of the iron horse, and on the first day of July, 1870, the Stage Company "pulled out" from Des Moines for Colorado. The property of the company in the city and county was disposed of, and in 1874 the last coach was sold to an Omaha man. Mr. A. T. Johnson, who was the agent of the company from 1858, mounted the box of the last coach and rode to the depot, and doffed his hat as he parted with the old familiar coach.

In 1853 the people about the Raccoon Porks began to tire of slow coaches, and talked railroad. September 19th, of that year, at a special election, the county voted to subscribe $150,000 to aid in building the Lyons & Iowa Central railroad, from Lyons via Des Moines, to the Missouri river. It was known as the ram's horn railroad. The road never progressed farther than the paper stage. It was a splendid road on paper.
September 20, 1856, the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company made it appear to the people of the county that they were building a railroad from the Mississippi to the Missouri, and would make Des Moines a point on the line if sufficient encouragement was given. The people, at an
election September 20, 1856, voted to issue bonds for the benefit of the railroad company to the amount of $300,000. After waiting three years the people got mad and rescinded the vote by which the bonds were ordered issued, and thus escaped a grievous burden of heavy taxes and long litigation, which has fallen to the lot of other counties who issued their bonds to that corporation.
The people despaired of getting a railroad. In the meantime a corporation was organized to improve Des Moines river for purposes of navigation. To give a history of it would require a volume. The project was abandoned, and the franchises of the corporation passed to the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines & Minnesota Railroad Company in 1853. In 1854 the name was

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 701

changed to the Des Moines Valley Railroad Company, without change of owners. A railroad was started from Keokuk up and along the Des Moines River. It reached Eddyville in 1861, and again the people of Des Moines were doomed to wait for several years the tardy coming of the iron horse. On the 29th day of August, 1866, the road was completed to this city, and the first passenger train of railroad cars entered the city of Des Moines, stopping at the depot grounds on the East Side. It was greeted by a large concourse of citizens, who gathered to witness the full fruition of long deferred expectations. The road was pushed on immediately to Fort Dodge.
In 1866 the Mississippi & Missouri, which had become hopelessly bankrupt, was sold July 9th, of that year, under a foreclosure of mortgage, to the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company, which had become incorporated under the laws of Illinois and Iowa. The road was speedily pushed forward to Council Bluffs, reaching Monday, point in June, 1869. The first passenger train entered Des Moines Monday, September 9, 1867. A freight and construction train came in, however, on Friday, August 30. The first regular passenger train pulled out for Chicago, Monday, September 9.
At a public meeting of citizens on the evening of February 8, 1868, was inaugurated a movement which culminated in the organization of the Iowa & Minnesota Narrow Gauge Railroad Company, which, August 1, 1870, was changed to the Des Moines & Minnesota Railroad Company. Track laying began January 12, 1874, the first spike being driven by Governor C. C. Carpenter, and in August of that year the road was completed to Ames. The name of the company was subsequently changed to Des Moines & Minneapolis. August 1, 1879, the road, with all its franchises, was leased perpetually to the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, who changed the gauge to the standard width, and on Sunday, July 11, of the present year, the first passenger train of that company entered the city on the broad gauge track.
In 1871 the Des Moines, Indianola & Missouri Railroad was built by the C. R. I. & P. from Des Moines to Indianola. In 1872 the Des Moines, Winterset & Southwestern road was built from Summerset Junction, on the D. M. I. & M. to Winterset by the C. R. I. & P. Railroad Company. In 1867 these roads passed into the possession of the C. R. I. & P. Railroad Company. In 1879 the C. B. & Q. constructed a branch from Chariton to Indianola, thus giving Des Moines a connection with the C. B. & Q.
During the present year the Des Moines, Knoxville & Albia Railroad was built by the C. B. & Q. from Albia to Des Moines, thus connecting the city direct with the C. B. & Q. trunk line. The first passenger train entered the city January 10, 1880.
In 1873 the Des Moines Valley road was sold to pay its debts. It was bisected in this city, and the south half became the Keokuk & Des Moines, the north half the Des Moines & Fort Dodge. October 1, 1878, the K. & D. M. passed into the possession of the C. R. I. & P.
During the present year the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad Company have built a branch from Albert Lea to Fort Dodge, connecting with the Des Moines & Fort Dodge road, and trains will be running from Minneapolis to Des Moines before the close of the year.
The Milwaukee, Marion, Marshalltown & Des Moines Railroad has been

702 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

surveyed and negotiations are pending which will probably result in the road being built by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.
Des Moines has become the railroad center of the State. Thirty-eight passenger trains each day now arrive and depart. No other city in the State is so favorably supplied with railroad facilities. Since their advent the growth of the city has been rapid and stable. Other roads are being projected in this direction, reaching to the north and southwest.
October 1, 1866, was organized the Des Moines Street Railway Co., with Dr. M. P. Turner, president; J. S. Polk, vice-president; U. B. White, superintendent; and Fred. M. Hubbell, secretary. The next year track was laid and cars were running on Court Avenue, on the West Side, and to Capital Hill. November, 1872, two and one-half miles of track were added, carrying the line westward on Walnut and High to Fifteenth street, and eastward, on Sycamore, to Tenth, East Side. It is keeping pace with the progress of the city in all things, and is an almost indispensable institution.

PRIVATE BANKS:

The private banks of the city have been numerous. A. J. Stevens opened the first bank, in 1853, and in 1873 sold to Callanan & Ingham, who closed out in 1862. Hoyt Sherman & Co. followed Mr. Stevens in 1854, and, in 1854, his bank was merged in the State Bank. In 1855, Maclot, Corban & White, Cook, Sargent & Cook, and Green, Weare & Rice opened three banks. Maclot, Corban & White, in 1857, sold out to White & Smith. Cook, Sargent & Cook and Green, Weare & Rice closed in 1858. Scott & Williamson started a bank in 1858. The private banks of that date were not of long duration, and succumbed to the monetary prowess of the State Bank. In 1873 I. N. Thomas started a bank on the East Side, which succumbed to the financial panic of 1875-6. The Capital City Bank was established in 1869 on the East Side, with B. F. Allen as president and Albert L. West, cashier. In July, 1876, it was sold to Sigler & Christy, and August 5, 1878, was incorporated under the State law, with A. W. Naylor, president; Wm. Christy, cashier. Capital, $100,000. The Valley Bank was organized Jan. 9,1873, by G. M. Hippee and J. J. Towne, with a capital of $50,000, which has since been increased to $100,000 by. the admission of several wealthy capitalists to the institution. The Des Moines Bank was started by P. M. Casady, C. H. Gatch, E. S. Gatch and Simon Casady, July 26, 1875. In 1876, A. N. Kellogg started a bank which existed but a few months.
No city in the West has better or more stable banking facilities than Des Moines at present.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

Mention has already been made of the county court-house, which was the first public building erected in the town. The most conspicuous edifice is the new capitol. It will be necessary to go back several years to trace the record which leads to the present magnificent structure adorning the eminence on the East Side.
The organization of Polk county and the contest for the location of the county-seat have already been referred to. In the winter of 1848-9, the Legislature appointed a commission, consisting of Quakers, to select and

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 703

locate a site for a new capital of the State. The reason for selecting Quakers was that they were deemed less vulnerable to the influence which speculators and corrupt politicians would be likely to bring to bear upon the location of a site. They came to Des Moines, where they were treated with princely hospitality. Ten acres of ground were offered them for a site, and a large number of eligible lots as the basis of a building fund. The broadbrims kept their counsel and retired. Oskaloosa, Newton and other places presented their claims. Taylor Pierce, who was then a resident of Jasper county and the owner of a ferry near Newton, on the Skunk river, the worst damned river in the West, magnanimously offered to fix up the roads leading to Newton, so the people could easily get to the capital. It should be remembered that it required about half a day's hard tugging to get from the eastern bluff, across the bottom, to Taylor's ferry. The newspapers of the rival localities tooted their claims in vigorous terms, not forgetting to heap derision on all others. The Quakers finally located the site on the broad, wild prairie, four miles north of where Monroe now is, in Jasper county, six miles from the river and four miles from any settler's cabin. No sooner had they made their decision, than a town of magnificent distances was laid out and lots sold at fabulous prices. John Q. Deakin invested five hundred dollars in quadrangular rows of stakes. The Quakers reported their doings to the Legislature, which produced a sensation. The absurdity of their decision was instantly seized upon; they were charged with corruption and questionable finesse, until at last the matter was relegated to oblivion, and the gophers continued to burrow on the expected site of the capital, and Mr. Deakin's investment in stakes dissolved into nothingness.
In 1854 the Legislature appointed another commission to locate the capital, consisting of Hon. Guy Wells, of Iowa City; Mr. Pegram, of Council Bluffs; J. H. D. Street, of Wapello; Stewart Goodrell and John L. Crookham, of Oskaloosa. They came to Des Moines, where they were at once feted and banqueted to surfeit. They soon discovered there were two sides to the matter. The people on the west side of the Des Moines river wanted the location on their side, while those on the east side were equally anxious to secure it there. A small village had started there, which was called Demoine, an orthography which the proprietor of the town, Mr. Dean, pertinaciously adhered to, declaring he didn't care how they spelled it over the river. He carried his point, for it has attached to all legal conveyances of his original plat to the present date. W. A. Scott offered to donate to the State forty acres of land. A company was organized, consisting of W. A. Scott, J. A. Williamson, J. M. Griffiths, Alex. Shaw, T. K. Brooks and others, who agreed to erect a suitable building for a statehouse. The strife between the two sides was bitter and vigorous. It entered into politics and every part of the community. Curtis Bates resided on the West Side. The Democrats-had nominated him for Governor, with the expectation that he would be elected and use his influence for his own locality. The Whigs nominated James W. Grimes, of Burlington. He came to Des Moines and ostensibly purchased several lots on the East Side to secure favor with the people, though it was reported he did not pay much for them. He therefore became interested in the location of the capital there. He was quite unexpectedly elected, much to the discomfiture of the Democrats, who had hitherto controlled the politics of the State. The capital was located there, an event which was celebrated by the East Side

704 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY

people with great enthusiasm, while those on the West Side held indignation meetings and denounced things in general. Through the efforts of Judge Casady and others wise counsel prevailed, and the antagonism died out.
As an indication of the political excitement at that time the following incident is narrated: The State and Polk county had always been Democratic. In 1853 the vote was divided between Pierce, Scott and Hale for President. Grimes was the Republican candidate and Curtis Bates the Democratic candidate; for governor. It was the off year, and the Republicans argued that the Scott and Hale men of 1853 would all vote for Grimes; and if so, it would only require thirteen votes to carry the election, but where to get them was the problem to be solved. Meetings were held and much enthusiasm worked up, but the Democrats did not yield. They stuck fast, having a local interest and pride in Judge Bates, and beside he was the avowed friend of the West Side in the location of the state-house, where most of the Democrats resided. Election was approaching and matters looked foreboding and blue to the Republicans. A meeting was called to consider the matter, but it was barren of results. After the meeting, so the story goes, John Q. Deakin, who lived at Vandalia, Tom Mitchell and Granville Holland, came together "by chance the usual way," when John said: "Tom, let's buy some hogs, and take 'em down to Ottumwa and sell 'em. We can get 'em down therein about two weeks."
Tom and Granville "tumbled to the racket," and they started out for hogs. The farmers were then mostly settled along the river. They scoured the settlements, giving a cent and a half a pound, which was a big price for pork then. When they had secured a good drove they hired sixteen good Democrats from Polk county to help drive the hogs to Ottumwa, starting several days before election, and timing their drives so as to reach Ottumwa the day before election, when they sold the hogs. They told the sixteen drivers to take the teams and return the next day, and mounting their horses the Grimes men made long strides for Polk county, arriving home in time to do a good day's work at the polls and cast their vote for Grimes. The records in the county Auditor's office shows the result of the election:

The story, therefore, has a firm foundation, in fact.
The sixteen Democratic hog drivers did not get home until the election was over, and thus for the first time the Democrats were beaten in Polk county. They were terribly mad then, but they relate the incident now with hearty glee.
Immediately after the location of the capital a strife sprang up in other darts of the State for a relocation, which continued until the Constitutional Convention, in 1857, permanently located it at Des Moines, by a provision in the constitution, and in December of that year the archives of the State were hauled by oxen on sleds from Iowa City and deposited in the statehouse, and Des Moines was happy once more.
April 13, 1870, the Legislature decided to erect a new capitol of dimensions and character which should be commensurate with the growth and prosperity of the State for all future time. No sooner had this determination been made than strenuous efforts began to develop to defeat it by rival

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 705

localities, who had not yet abandoned the hope of removing the capital from Raccoon Forks. These culminated in opposition to the first appropriation to the construction of the edifice. No bill before the Legislature ever received so cunningly devised and so powerfully wielded an opposition as was arraigned against that bill, for its passage settled beyond question the permanent location of the capitol. The bill was admirably managed in the House by Ron. John A. Kasson, and in the Senate by B. F. Allen. So close was the contest a direct vote was several times postponed, the friends of the bill not daring to venture the risk unless every member of the Legislature was in his seat, and the vote was not reached until near the close of the session. When the day was known it was to be decided there was intense excitement. The halls were crowded. The bill passed the Senate and was taken up in the House at once. During the roll call there was an impressive silence. Every member had a tally sheet. Mr. Kasson was on his feet alert, and watching the answers of members. When the last name was called three votes were wanting to pass the bill. The members had not voted. Mr. Kasson quickly passed to two of them, while the clerk was counting up the vote, and as he was about to hand the Speaker the result they arose and offered their votes. In the rear of the chamber was an Irish member, who was inclined to "dodge." Rev. Father Brazil, always interested in the prosperity of Des Moines, stepped quickly behind him, took him by the coat collar and raised him up, and told him to vote, which he did, and the bill was passed by a majority of two votes. On the 17th day of August, 1871, the first stone on the foundation was laid, and November 23, 1871, amid a cold, raw, sleety storm, the corner-stone was laid with imposing civic display, since when the building has been rising in magnificent proportions. Two years will be required to complete what will be one of the finest buildings in the Union.
In 1865 Congress decided, through the influence of John A. Kasson, member from this district, to erect a post-office building in Des Moines. Mr. Kasson was appointed to locate and secure a site for the same, a fact which was not made public for financial reasons. In those days the city was badly afflicted with "manifest destiny." Railroads and other important projects must come to the State capital per force. Corner lot speculation was rife, and everybody was exalted with great expectations," and were watching for what was inevitable, the location and building of a post office. Nearly all the business of the city was done below Fourth street, and owners of eligible property below that point were anxious to furnish Uncle Sam with the desired site. Mr. Kasson quietly purchased the entire block, corner of Court Avenue and Fifth, for the government, and the erection of the building was begun in 1867, and cost, when completed, $210,000. It was erected under the supervision of George Whitaker. In it are located the U. S. court-rooms, land office and revenue collector's office.
In 1867, when the War of the Rebellion had closed, it became necessary to provide a safe deposit for the records and relics of the war. Adjutant-General N. B. Baker, whose name will never be forgotten in connection with the events of that period, devised and carried through to completion the erection of an arsenal building, constructed entirely of brick, iron and stone, on West First, between Walnut and Locust streets, for that purpose. It is two stories high, and, though not an imposing structure, it is the central point of interest and attraction in the city. In it are stored relics of the war, and

706 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

the torn and battle-scarred flags of the different Iowa regiments who took part in the Union army.
In 1876 a stock company was formed which erected on Walnut street, corner of West Ninth street, the Exposition building. It is 132 feet square and three stories high. Its cost was $75,000. It was designed for annual exhibitions of the mechanical industries and art, and was formally opened October 5 of that year.

HOTELS.

According to the memory of the early settlers now residing in this vicinity, the first hotel or tavern in Des Moines was kept, in 1846, in a log cabin on the spot where Bennett's woolen mill now stands, on the east side of the river, by Esquire Meacham. It was a primitive institution, and its provender was principally bacon, corn bread and potatoes. It was subsequently enlarged and became the Capital House. About the same time, a tavern was opened on the West Side, near 'Coon Point, kept by Martin Tucker, who signed his name by proxy, with an X, in one of the old barracks buildings. Also, the Pennsylvania House, in a barrack building, which gave way for the Des Moines House. The price of a meal was ten cents, lodging, twenty-five cents; keeping team, fifteen cents. If wheat biscuits were served, a meal was fifteen cents. Among the guests in May, 1846, was, Georga Beebe, who stopped over night and the next day went to Madison township to set up his cabin, where Polk City now is. Between his cabin and the Minnesota State line there was not a cabin or trace of civilization. Simultaneous with Tucker's tavern, B. T. Hoxie opened a tavern in a log building on Third street, on the lot north of Harbach's furniture store. In 1852 an addition was made to it, and it became the stage company's headquarters, and in that year it was sold to James C. Savery and the name was changed to City Hotel. It was torn down in 1876.
Mr. Tucker did not propose to be outdone in the tavern business. He purchased an old blacksmith shop standing where the Des Moines & Fort Dodge depot now is, "put a condition to it, "run an avenue through it," and opened it as a first-class house, and such it became. It was afterward sold and became the Collins House, under which name it was torn down is 1866. Then followed the Des Moines House, corner Walnut and First, American, on West Third, Cooley House (now Loper), on East Fifth, also Walker and Scott, on the East Side; the Buckeye, corner West Walnut and Third, the Cottage on Court Avenue, opened by John Hays. The Scott was sold to Mr. Slatten, who changed the name to Slatten House, which was next changed to Hawkeye House. It is now a brick ruins near the east end of the Keokuk & Des Moines railroad bridge. In 1853-54 Conrad Stutsman purchased the Pennsylvania House, moved it to the south and erected a large two-story building for a hotel. In 1854 he sold one-half of his interest to J. C. Warner and one-half to John Yost, who opened the hotel in April, 1855. When the question came up for a name, it was decided to call it after the name of the town, but how to spell it was the problem. There was a strife between the East and West Side on that as in everything else at that time. Mr. Dean had laid out and platted a town on the East Side and named it Demoine. When questioned as to the orthography, he replied he, didn't care anything about them literary fellows on the West Side; he was going to have it as it was pronounced, and so it remains to this day. Warner & Yost adopted the same logic and the hotel

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 707

was christened the Demoine House. In October, 1855, Col. S. F. Spofford, who came to Des Moines in September previous, purchased Yost's interest for $7,500, and the following April purchased Warner's interest for $9,500 and became sole owner of the property and landlord, which position he occupied until 1876, when he leased the property. It was torn down in 1878.
There are several early settlers now residents of the city who have a vivid remembrance of laughable scenes enacted in the old Pennsylvania House. It was one story and a half high, the upper story being in one long room with a row of beds on either side, without curtain or partition. Three in a bed was very often the ease, and strange bedfellows were frequently thrown together. It was the custom to deposit all cast-off clothing, boots, shoes, hats, etc., under the beds with a vigorous kick, and it is related by an eye-witness that at one time when some repairs were to be made it was necessary to clear the room. The wreck of wardrobes was. pitched out of a window and made a pile from the ground to the window.
This brings us to the date of modern hotels, the first of which was the Savery House, which was commenced by a stock company in 1856, in which $60,000 were invested. It was completed and opened by Geo. C. Savery in the fall of 1863, by whom it was kept several years, when it passed into the management of Fred. C. McCartney. It was closed November 5, 1878, and in 1879 remodeled, refurnished and re-opened by Bogue & Wyman as the Kirkwood House, in honor of the old War Governor, Samuel Kirkwood, May 12, 1879.
In 1865 George W. Jones purchased of H. H. Griffiths the brick building on East Sycamore near Fourth, and in 1869 erected an additional building. The upper stories of the two buildings were arranged for a hotel, and February 15, 1871, was thrown open to the public as the Jones House, the first large and commodious house on the East Side. In 1877 the house was leased to Charles E. Dean, and the name changed to Capital City House.
In 1869 Dr. W. S. Aborn purchased the residence property of B. F., Allen, corner of Court Avenue and West Fourth Street, with the intention of erecting a large medical institution. The plan was subsequently changed to that of a first-class hotel, which was completed, furnished in elaborate style and opened by C. B. Linton May 1, 1873. It afterward passed into the control of G. B. Brown, who died April 26, 1879. May 1, 1880 it passed into the management of Risley & Vail.
Next to the foregoing leading hotels, which are second to none in the West, are the Given House, Gault, Fanning, Morgan, International and Shamrock, on Second, which was originally built in 1854 by Michael McTighe, and rebuilt .in. brick a few years ago in more modern style. . .

COAL MINING.

One of the most valuable resources of Des Moines is its coal beds. Prior to 1865 but very little coal was used in this section. It was gathered here and there in the bluffs along the Des Moines river in wheelbarrows, dumped into wagons, thirty bushels being called a load, without weighing, and the probabilities are that the thirty bushels would never have weighed over twenty-five bushels. In November, 1864, Wesley Redhead organized the first coal company and began the first systematic coal mining. Soon after

708 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

others became interested with him, and in August, 1865, was organized the Des Moines Coal Company, consisting of Wesley Redhead, James M. Starr, William Vincent, B. F. Allen, William Phillips, Hoyt Sherman, John Teesdale, James W. Davis, L. W. Dennis, Frank Butler and E. Sandford. Wesley had been burrowing about in the north part of the city on the old Peet farm and when this company was organized work was carried on more extensively and systematically. A set of Fairbank's scales was procured and the first coal weighed in the city was done by Mr. Redhead. The coal was deposited in " pockets," so called, which quickly became exhausted, requiring frequent removals and changes of location, and in a short time the whole supply became so exhausted as to render further mining in that locality unprofitable.
The subsequent operations of Mr. Redhead have been detailed on page 275. He gradually purchased the interest of the other members of the company, and in 1874 constituted the sole owner. In May of the present year, James P. Clark was admitted as a partner, and the name of the company was changed to Pioneer Coal Company.
In the winter of 1867 was organized the Watson Coal Company, consisting of wealthy Boston capitalists, with Rufus Ford as president. Its capital stock is limited to $200,000. A shaft was sunk east of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad round-house, along beside the railroad track.
In 1867 the Iowa Central Coal Company was organized by A. Y. Rawson and Henry Wightman. A shaft was sunk on School street, West Side, between Fifth and Sixth, which was operated until 1879, when the shaft was abandoned.
In 1872 the Hawkeye Company was organized by W. W. Fink and A. Q. Smith and a shaft sunk north of the city about one mile.
In 1873 the Eclipse Company was organized with T. D. Yoemans as manager. A shaft was sunk just outside the southern limit of the city.
In 1874 R. W. Sypher opened a shaft south of the city, which is now called Polk County Coal Company.
In 1875 Pleasant Hill Company was organized and a shaft sunk south of the. city, on the line of the Winterset Railroad.
In 1875 the Eureka Coal Company was organized and a shaft sunk south of the 'Coon, near the school-house.
There are several other smaller mines operated in the vicinity.
The extent of the coal mining interest of the city has reached a point of considerable importance. The following is the estimated product of the various mines in tons per year:

The amount of capital employed is about $350,000. There are employed about five hundred miners. The bulk of coal now mined here is consumed

HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY 709

by the railroad companies, who find it to be of superior quality. The opening of railroad communication the present year direct with St. Paul, Minneapolis and Dakota will create a demand for immense quantities of coal, which will serve to further develop and bring to the surface the millions of wealth which lie buried beneath the soil of Polk county. The coal-measure which is now being worked is evidently the lower, which lies at a depth of one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy-five feet below the surface, hence it is quite apparent that the measures which crop out here are the two upper, and that the lower measure lies much lower than was supposed by the State geologist. In fact, explorations have disclosed a much broader extent of the coal-field, in a northerly direction, than is defined in the State geological report.

MANUFACTURES.

The natural facilities for manufacturing possessed by Des Moines are unsurpassed by any city in the West. Two broad rivers with ample fall, coal underlying the entire city and nearly the entire county, thus furnishing cheap fuel, inviting the intelligent, ambitious manufacturer who will keep pace with the rapidly developing country and the progress of the city which, within ten years has advanced from fifth in rank to first position in the State. It is foreign to the purpose of this book to enter into a detail of every manufacturing establishment in the city. Every branch of industry, nearly, is represented, and to individualize all would swell this volume beyond reasonable space. The leading and most important in point of product are herein mentioned.
Pork Packing.-The packing of pork in Des Moines dates back to 1858, when Rollins & Winters, in a small way, killed about one thousand hogs. They were followed, two years later, by Albert Grefe, who erected a small packing house in the west part of the city.
The same season James Tuttle began packing in the cellar of Sherman Block, on Court Avenue, and in the winter of 1862 Dr. M. P. Turner, James Miller and Martin Winters joined him, and fitted up a packing house on Third street, which is now occupied by Smith & Rollins as part of their grocery. They killed about three thousand hogs, for which they paid $1.91 per hundred pounds, and sold the product at prices which cured all except Tuttle of afterward curing meats. The net profit of their business was $56, or $11.20 for each partner. Those who know Mr. Tuttle are aware that pluck is one of his predominant traits of character. The next season he with his son built a packing-house on Fifth street, on the lot adjoining the Methodist church. Prices for pork ruled low early in the season, but advanced rapidly, the war demand for provisions beginning to make itself felt throughout the country. They killed that season about 3,500 hogs. Simultaneous with them Getchell & Miller, Rawson & Harmon, and Rollins & Winter packed hogs in a small way. In 1863 B. F. Murphy, of Chicago, erected a packing-house south of the city, which for several seasons was used only for preparing dressed hogs for shipment. No packing was done. In 1867 General J. M. Tuttle and his brother Martin purchased Mr. Murphy's interest and made the necessary improvements for packing and curing meat. In 1870 Martin Tuttle retired from the business, and in 1873 Lewis Igo joined General Tuttle, the old packinghouse was demolished, and a new one erected, with a capacity for assassinating 1,500 hogs per day. In 1875 Mr. Igo retired. In 1871 the business

710 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

passed into the hands of the Stowers Packing Company, and in 1873 to J. H. Windsor & Co. Extensive buildings and improvements were made for winter and summer packing. The business is now done by the Des Moines Packing Company, with J. H. Windsor as manager.
In 1869 Murphy & Co. erected a small packing-house, and in 1872 the business was transferred to Joseph Shissler. He was succeeded by W. S. Elsworth, who has made large additions, and is now engaged in packing. The number of hogs packed in 1879--80 was about 100,000, of which the Des Moines Packing Company killed over three-fourths. The amount of money paid farmers for hogs was nearly one million, a large portion of which is a clear gain to the producer over the prices paid when hogs were bought only by shippers, as may be seen in the comparative price of $11.91 per 100 pounds in 1861 and $4.40 at the date of this writing, August 26, 1880.
Among those who early did a packing business was Capt. James Davis, who made a specialty of sugar-cured hams, which attained a high reputation from San Francisco to Boston for their superlative goodness. He was followed by Dennis & Keyes, who continued the reputation established by Mr. Davis, and in 1874 cured 25,000 hams, in a building erected for that purpose on the corner of Vine and West Third streets, now occupied by R. C. Webb & Son as a wholesale grocery house.
The Des Moines Packing Company and the Ellsworth Packing Company are the only houses now in the business; except F. Meek, who is doing an extensive business in curing hams on West Sixth street, and has established a reputation for a most excellent article.
Pork packing is becoming one of the most important industries of Des Moines, and during the packing season gives employment to a large force of men and boys. The boxes are made in the houses, the meats are packed, and mostly shipped direct to Liverpool, England.
Tlee Western Newspaper Union.-Prominent among the business enterprises of Des Moines is what is known as the Western Newspaper Union. Its business is the printing of co-operative or auxiliary newspaper sheets, and the purchase and sale of printers' supplies. It was originally
incorporated January 1, 1873, under the name of "State Printing Company," with Samuel Merrill, P. M. Casady, John A. Elliott, S. F. Spofford and B. F. Gue as incorporators, the limit of capital stock being fixed at $40,000. The first officers were: S. F. Spofford, President; A. R. Fulton,
Secretary; John A. Elliott, Treasurer; and S. F. Spofford, J. H. Brooks, Wesley Redhead, Samuel Merrill and B. F. Gue, Directors.
The company commenced business in January, 1873, with a list of about twenty-five papers.
By a reorganization, February 15, 1876, the name was changed to " Iowa Printing Company." Up to February 15, 1877, the business management was successively in charge of B. F. Gue, H. B. Speed and E. T. Cressey. At the date last mentioned W. E. Andrews became the manager, which position he still retains. During the summer of 1879 the company erected a commodious and substantial business block on Fourth street, in Des Moines, known as " Printing Block," at a cost, including ground, of about $20,000.
On the 11th of June, 1880, the "Western Newspaper Union," with a capital stock of $100,000, became the successor of the Iowa Printing Company, with the principal place of business at Des Moines, and branch

HISTORY OF POLE COUNTY 711

offices at Kansas City, Mo., and Omaha, Neb. The new organization is the successor of three auxiliary printing companies, viz.: Iowa Printing Company, of Des Moines; Kansas City Newspaper Union, Kansas City; and Omaha Newspaper Union, Omaha.
The company is now furnishing auxiliary sheets to about three hundred publishers in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. It uses an average of about four car loads of white print paper monthly, at a monthly cost for the same of about six thousand dollars. The Des Moines house gives employment to from twenty to twenty-five persons, as foremen, compositors, pressmen, etc. The daily transmission of packages from this establishment is no inconsiderable item in the business of the express companies. The product of its large steam-propelled printing presses is steadily increasing, and the "Western Newspaper Union" now ranks among the most substantial and prosperous business enterprises of Iowa.
Plow Factories.-The first plow factory was started by Stanton & Given in 1851, corner of West Third and Vine streets, where the Given House now stands; subsequently the firms became Stanton & Skinner, Skinner & Skinner and in 1859 the firm divided, Skinner Bro's going to Front street. where the American Foundry now is, and Given & Co. retaining the old place. The same year Skinner Bro's erected a large brick building on the corner of West Second and Elm streets, where the first drug store and the Star office stood. They did an extensive business for several years, and in 1879 removed to Second street, north of Locust.
In 1861 Mr. Given disposed of his business to a stock company, which had been organized for that purpose, with H. C. Hargis as president, and known as the Des Moines Plow Company. Increased facilities were added, the business greatly enlarged, and other implements added to the list of manufactures. When Skinner Bro's vacated the premises on Front street they were occupied by Platt & Speith, who still are engaged in the manufacture of plows.
In the fall of 1856 H. N. Heminway started the first iron foundry in the city, on the East Side, and shortly after, the same year, S. J. Loughran started a foundry on the West Side, on the river bank at Locust street, and still continues the business, under the firm name of Loughran & Hillis.
In 1863 Otis & Rollins established the American Foundry, on Front street, adjoining Platt & Speith. The next year Mr. Rollins was succeeded by Joseph Heimer; and in 1866 the foundry was sold to Brooks & Strawbridge; in 1867, Mr. Strawbridge was succeeded by George Lendrum, who, in 1873; was succeeded by William Stein. In 1879 Mr. Brooks died.
In 1872 a corporation was formed and known as the Eagle Iron Works, with George C. Lendrum, President, and D. E. Perkins, Secretary. The works are located on Court Avenue, corner of East Third. The capital stock is $30,000. The business of the corporation is the manufacture of machinery, engines and mill furnishing. One of the best specimens of a horizontal mill engine of 150 horse-power made at these works may be seen at the barbed wire factory on Front street, near Market, West Side.
The first steam boiler works was started by N. S. McDonald, in 1861, on Court Avenue, near the river, and he made the first boiler in the city, which was for the Heminway foundry. It was a hard struggle for the proprietor. There was but a limited demand for boilers, and most of his work was repairing, but as the surrounding country developed the business increased, and Mr. McDonald being a superior workman, received his

712 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

full share. In 1866 he was joined by James Meara, since when the business of the firm has rapidly increased, enlarged buildings and new machinery have been added until the establishment has become one of the best in the State and is crowded to its utmost capacity. During 1879 Mr. Meara, while riveting a boiler, was struck in the eye with a chipping of iron which resulted in the entire loss of sight. He is now represented in the partnership by his wife.
The Des Moines Iron Works, now Capital City Iron Works, as has been stated, were first started by Mr. Heminway; subsequently they passed into the hands of Tidriek & Hippee, in 1860, and various other proprietors until in 1878, they were closed. During the present year they have passed into the control of a new company.
Oil Mil1s.-In September, 1866, W. R. & J. A. Ankeny started the Central Oil Works, corner of East Fifth and Vine streets, for the manufacture of linseed oil from flax-seed. The project at first met with limited success, owing to the disinclination of farmers to raise flax. The firm the first year, with much difficulty, loaned to farmers 450 bushels of seed, making at the same time a contract to take their entire crop of seed at a certain price per bushel, the farmer therefore running no risk except the uncertainty of the crop. The venture was a success, and now they have no trouble in finding customers for 40,000 bushels of seed. The business has increased each year, additions have been made until now the buildings occupied are 51x127 feet, three stories high, with basement. They consume nearly 100,000 bushels of seed annually, producing over 600 gallons of oil and over six tons of oil cake per day. The cake is principally sent to Europe, where it is used for feeding live stock, the superlative value of which Western farmers have not yet learned. The oil is shipped East and South, and sales are limited only by the capacity of the works. Experience has proved flax-seed to be one of the most certain and profitable crops cultivated in Iowa.
In 1873 works were started on the East Side for the manufacture of gunny bags, etc., from flax straw; but soon after, Congress abolished the duty on Jute, so that Western manufacturers could not compete with those of the East, and the business was abandoned. Subsequently, in 1875, George W. Werum fitted the buildings for the manufacture of linseed oil, and has since continued the business, consuming about 35,000 bushels of seed annually.
Millwrights.-In 1879 Johnson & Jarrett started business as millwrights and contractors, on Court Avenue, between Third and Fourth streets, East Side, and are doing a heavy business in erecting mills and elevators, and furnishing the necessary machinery for the same, thus adding a new and important industry to the city.
Planing Mills.--The first planing mill was started by Gilcrest Bros. on the East Side, corner of First and Market, which was burned in 1869. In 1865 A. J. Jack & Co. started a planing mill on Market street, near West Fifth, which was sold to Carver & Young. In 1869 the mill was burned, and immediately was erected the present mill. New machinery was added and the business largely increased, extending over Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. The entire inside woodwork, windows, doors, etc., of the Union Pacific depot at Council Bluffs was done at this mill. Their business now embraces everything in the woodwork line, and has become very extensive.

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Some of the finest dwellings, churches, banks and stores in the West have been furnished at this establishment.
School Furniture.-In March, 1867, Rankin & Roberts organized the Iowa School Furniture Company, and began operations on the East Side. In January, 1874, the business passed into the hands of a new company, with F. A. Percival as President and Tyler Scoville as Secretary. A large factory has been erected on Court Avenue, East Side, and the business is yearly increasing, extending throughout Iowa and adjoining States. They have the exclusive manufacture of the Climax desk, covered by the Roberts patent; also, make a large variety of school, church, office and bank furniture.
Scales. In 1872 the Des Moines Scale Company was organized, with F. R. West, President, S. F. Spofford, Vice-President, George A. Jewett, Secretary, and Wesley Redhead, Treasurer, under which management it continued until 1874, when the establishment was leased to Dickerson, Berry & Sargent. In 1875 Wm. Dickerson became the sole lessee. In 1876 a new company was formed, Mr. Dickerson continuing as manager. The business of the company is the manufacture of the Des Moines scale, Fairbanks scale, Storm King wind-mill, and Hawkeye butter worker. In 1880 the company was reorganized as the Union Scale Company, and though one of the youngest, promises to be one of the most successful. It is under the management of L. D. Berry and John M. England. The latter gentleman was for twenty-one years the foreman of the Fairbanks Scale Company of Chicago, and brings to this business the best of qualifications. The company is now employing about twelve hands, and is running extra hours to fill orders. They are making a scale, invented and patented in 1879 by L. D. Berry, which is constructed upon a new system entirely, avoiding the check rod, which has been a serious objection with all other scales, and which inventors for twenty-five years have vainly striven to overcome. It is claimed the economy of space, perfection, durability and low price will insure it a leading place among scales, and give to Des Moines another large and profitable business.
Marble Works.-The first marble workers in the city were Monroe & Kinsey and Fox & Boydston most extensive works in the city at present are the Des Moines Marble Company's, corner of West Seventh and Locust streets, and I. N. Webster's, on Walnut, corner of West Sixth.
Monuments, mantels and tablets are manufactured from American and foreign marble and granite. Mr. Webster established his business in 1873. The Des Moines Marble Works were established in 1879, and are operated by a wealthy company, of whom A. G. Stein is President and F. P. Sawyer Secretary.
Brick.-The manufacture of brick has been co-extensive with the town, and the manufacture has increased remarkably. There are not less than 23,000,000 made each year. The principal makers are S. A. Robertson, Conrad Youngerman, Frank Genezer, Wm. R. Close, E. D. Janes, Lewis Hyland, N. B. Cooley, Morris & Daugherty and W. G. Bragg.
Breweries.-The first brewery was established in 1855, by Joseph and George Hierb, which is now known as the City Brewery, located on Seventh street. The National Brewery was established in 1858 by Kappes & Reinig, and is now known as the Munzenmeier. It is located in the south part of the city. Union Brewery was established by A. Aulman in 1865,

714 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

on Elm street, West Side. In 1866 John Kinsley established a brewery near the water-works, and in 1867 Mattes Bros. established a brewery on East Locust street, which consumes 3,400 bushels of grain and makes 1,700 barrels of beer per annum. The manufacture of ale has assumed large proportions, and become an important item in the traffic of the city.
Carriages.-The large manufactories of the East and West have so supplied the city with their work that manufacturers with limited capital have deemed it unwise to attempt to compete here. Yet there are establishments which are doing a lucrative business in supplying local demands. The first carriage made in the city was by O. W. Munsell, and F. R. West was the purchaser. Mr. Munsell started business in 1867, and for several years had an extensive trade in fine carriages, but has now practically closed the business. John Wilson, on Seventh street, has a factory, and is manufacturing some of the finest vehicles to be found in any market.
Scale Works.-In 1872 the Des Moines Scale Company was organized, with F. R. West, President; S. F. Spofford, Vice-